Dead or Alive: The Dynavein Trilogy
by Allen Maverick Ivers
Summary: The Dead Or Alive fighters, stranded on an unknown island, forced to work together, to battle a genetic evil.
1. Isolation SIGMA

Dead or Alive: Chapter1 Isolation SIGMA  
  
Part 1  
  
Stranded  
  
Tisha's eyes burned with the salt of the ocean, and the misty winds cooled her sweat burdened forehead. The sand felt cool against the palms of her hands, and the energizing water running over her legs awoke here from her state. She slowly lifted her head, weighted down by the water absorbed into each strand of hair. The sand was wet and clung to her tanned skin. Where am I? She thought, What a happened to the Nebuchanezzer?  
  
"Hey, Tisha!" A deep male voice caught her attention, and she whipped her head around to see the many familiar faces, "We thought you were a goner!"  
  
The speaker was Jake Vance, that military man she'd seen onboard ship. He was a tall man, bony, with medium length curly brown hair. The man had a aura about him, that. well, seemed, dangerous. Not like martial artist danger, but more like he'd kill you in a second if you tried to kill him. He was followed closely by Tina Armstrong and Jann Lee. Tisha frowned. She'd expected Christie to at least show her face.  
  
Tina and Jake kneeled down next to her, and Jake pulled a white and red box from his back. Jann snapped his head from left to right, "We must not dawdle, you two!" Jann said, scornfully, "Kasumi and the others are waiting."  
  
Jake looked up in annoyance at the Jeet Kune Do master. Turning back to Tisha, he tensed, feeling a pair of eyes burrowing their gaze into his head. Jann Lee was still looking around the beach, Tina was looking at Tisha, and Tisha wasn't really focusing on anything at the moment. The ex- DELTA shrugged it off, grudgingly, yet somehow he didn't want to forget about that gaze. He felt like he was in a goldfish bowl. He never liked open expanses. It was too easy to pick your target.  
  
Tisha's head was swimming just as much as she had, probably, in the water, "Where are we?"  
  
Tina's head turned toward Jake, who was unraveling a small bandage, "We might be at Elijah Isle, but I can't be sure at all. I was never good with oceanography."  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right, Jake. Seems like a remote enough place for the fight."  
  
Tisha recognized that name, Elijah Isle; it was the location of the Dead or Alive 4 tournament. Tisha smiled, wincing at the sudden pain she experienced, "Don't move, Tisha, or your skin'll tear more than it already has!"  
  
Applying the bandage to Tisha's cheek, Jake furrowed his brow, making sure to get it right.  
  
Tina got up from her squat, and started to help Tisha up. Tisha accepted the friendly assistance warmly, and was quickly rushed, by Jann Lee, down the beach. What're they afraid of?  
  
Jake stopped a few feet behind the small group and glanced over his shoulder into the trees, and then followed at a rapid pace, How do I know this place? He thought, And who is watching us?  
  
  
  
* * * *  
  
Kasumi smiled as she saw the team of rescuers and Tisha jog back down the beach, "She made it!"  
  
Ayane shrugged, and her voice was filled with sarcasm and, maybe regret, "So?"  
  
Kasumi gave her sister a derisive grin, and then rushed to greet the on comers.  
  
"Heeeeeeeey!!!" She yelled, waving her arms in the air.  
  
Ryu scolded her, and told her to put her arms down, and the respectful kunoichi complied.  
  
Tisha grinned, seeing Christie in one corner of the outcropping of rocks that made up the group's hide-out. Perfect! Everyone was there; Hayate, Ayane, Kasumi, Leon, Bass, Bayman, Lei-Fang, Helena, Christie, Ryu, Hitomi, Brad, Zack, a few men and women she didn't know, and the group who had met Tisha on the beach.  
  
"Who are we missing?" Leon asked.  
  
Jake did a quick body count, but Hayate answered first, "With Tisha here, that makes two; Sanchez and Apone."  
  
"Fitting," Christie replied from her corner, receiving looks from the whole group, "We just participated in the worst possible thing that could happen. With the Nebuchanezzer out of commission, we're stranded!"  
  
Ayane cracked her knuckles and beamed, "All the better!"  
  
Jake quickly through in his comment before Kasumi or Ryu could throw theirs, "Not really. I'd've rather not even come to Elijah Island in the first place."  
  
This got questioning glances from all, even the more blunt Bayman.  
  
Gripping one arm, Jake quickly succeeded at looking conceded and inward, as if he was reliving some event. Tina was the first to break long silence following, "Well, do we even know where we are?"  
  
Another long silence. Even the birds stopped. Helena put a hand over her face, shielding the look of pure worry.  
  
".Okay. We should scout around, see if we can find a landmark," Kasumi suggested.  
  
"Great idea, Kasumi! You come with me, just the two of us!" The scheming assassin took in her chance to complete her mission, jumping on the chance to get Kasumi alone, but got skeptical glances from all, even Hayate. "Worth a shot."  
  
Jake made a rude noise, but quickly covered it up with a cough.  
  
"Kasumi is correct, however. If we can find out where we are, there is a higher probability of getting out of here," Ryu said, as methodically as if he had fallen out of Greek Mythology.  
  
"Alright, that was just plain creepy, Ryu!" Zack stated, "Talk normal, man!"  
  
Another long silence.  
  
"Okay, it's decided. We move out, looking for any landmarks," Jake spoke as he had hundreds of times before, "Kasumi, Ryu, Tina in front, Hayate, Bass, and Helena in back. No tricks! If chances are what they think they are, we'll need each other, and our wits if any of us wanna get out of here alive."  
  
"What?" A Half a dozen voices cried.  
  
"Now move out!" Jake Vance, lieutenant of the American DELTA Elite force, and a hero in his own right had finally remembered what was out there, and he was scared of it. For it was far deadlier than Genra or the Tengu of years before, Dynavein were fools. You know this, creature, and so do I. Now we match each other's steel yet again. SIGMA, come at me if you will!  
  
  
  
Part 2  
  
A Fearful Discovery  
  
The trudging through the forest lands was both tedious, and beautiful. Mushrooms growing straight out in plates as tall as Bayman from the tallest trees Lei-Fang had ever seen, and the animals in the area were plentiful. Zack chased a gopher for a half a mile off the track, before Ryu and Hayate dragged him back. Jake did not approve of Zack's antics, as he still thought he wasn't on Elijah Isle, but on some other island in the Aegean Sea.  
  
"How much further?" Helena asked, from behind.  
  
Jake and Bass answered the same in perfect harmony, much to Jake's dismay, "Guess!"  
  
Ryu, during this conversation, lifted some earphones from Zack's head, and heard something coming from them, "Picture this! I get a phone call from Regis! He says, 'do wanna be a millionaire?', and I win it all, with only TWO LIFELINES TO SPARE!"  
  
Ryu dropped the noise-making thing to the ground and quickly rushed on, unaware of his stepping on the expensive travel Walkman's earphones.  
  
Jake abruptly stopped, at the head of the rag-tag group, some of them bumping into his stiff back, ".Whoa!"  
  
All the others crowded around him, looking at the ten story building, or at the three foot tall egg, "And we missed that structure how?" Kasumi asked, "It's huge!"  
  
Jake wasn't looking at the building, but at the mottled brown egg, "Dear god, no!" He whispered, "SIGMA's breeding!"  
  
Ryu's head snapped around, hearing the Greek code letter used often in society to date, "What?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough!"  
  
One of the unknown newcomers to the tournament started to have a breakdown, "OH GOD! WE'RE GONNA DIE! DON'T YOU ALL SEE?! WE'RE GONNA-"  
  
Everyone dropped to their knees, as Jake pulled a high caliber pistol from his jeans, and shot into thee air, "Shut up!" He said quietly, but sharply.  
  
The man obediently complied with Jake's 'forceful' order. Most of the champion caliber fighters there wondered how he'd gotten the gun through the security, let alone get it safely to the island after their ship crashed.  
  
"Okay," Jake was suddenly very quiet, and Tisha cocked her head, trying to hear what he was saying, and wondering why he was being quiet, "we go in the building, all of us. Keep your eyes on the walls, and roof. Watch for any movement. If you find any, don't bother to tell me, because by the time you do, you'll be dead. Just run.  
  
"Alright, we're safe as long as we stay quiet, and don't make sudden moves," he said, and Tisha easily realized that he was also trying to convince himself, as well as the group.  
  
The ninjas in the group knew little if any fear. But one thing was certain; both Ayane and Kasumi, as skilled and as deadly as they were, were afraid of what was to come. We march into the very maw of death. Cool! Let's kick some A**, Ayane added gleefully to herself.  
  
  
  
(Song lyrics © Steven Curtis Chapman's Live Out Loud)  
  
  
  
Part 3  
  
The Leftovers  
  
  
  
Tisha skimmed cat-like into the room, sliding noiselessly to the opposite wall. Giving a quick scope of the room, she signaled Kasumi and Ayane. The kunoichi pair drew their blades and surveyed the room. Ryu and Hayate followed afterwards, being the slower of the four ninjas.  
  
Jake drew his Colt, and seemed to point it at every irregular object in the room. Tisha thought he'd been driven mad by what he'd seen in front of the building, and kept one eye on him at all times.  
  
"What're we looking for?" Ayane asked of Jake.  
  
"Movement, discoloration of the walls, and roof, that sort of thing. Anything that's out of place," he explained, thinking back to that terrible day on the Dynavein atoll.  
  
The group was moving all over the room, doing exactly as Jake, Ayane and Kasumi were. Bass nearly through his fist through the wall when he found the double-helix emblem of the cloning company, Dynavein. It was bulging clear from the wall, the two strands of DNA wrapping around a human head, probably the President of the company.  
  
Posters were all over the place. One was a poster of DOATEC's symbol with several darts still sticking out. Some were pictures of family, and others were just plain weird through Tisha's eyes.  
  
Leon and Bayman walked through the main room with a relative ease. The room was rather like a large rounded square, terraced, much like America's NASA center, with a large monitor at one end, and many other monitors and computers at the terraces. The monitor was smashed and many other monitors were damaged in some way.  
  
"Jake! Come take a look at this!" Zack said.  
  
The DELTA commando marched to the spot indicated by Zack. Seeming very tense, Jake looked at what Zack asked him to. and nearly fell flat on his back, if Zack hadn't steadied him.  
  
There stood in front of them a blue accented dome of a room, centered entirely on a tube running through the center of the room. Frosted over with blue, an alien shape was visible inside. Almost like a grayish-silver gargoyle, with claw hands and human feet and a very human almond-shaped face. Jake remembered that creature.  
  
  
  
"Jake, the number two barrier's fluctuating." "Post security teams and gates B and O!" "Jake, what do we do?!" "HELP ME!!!!" "Lieutenant Vance, you are relieved of command!" "JAKE!!!"  
  
  
  
Jake inhaled sharply, "Marisa."  
  
Tina laid one hand on his shoulder, and Jake took in a sharp breath of surprise. The wrestler passed him and walked right up to the tube. She peered into the iced over glass at the creature. She brought one hand up, and brushed the glass clear of the ice, water condensing on her hand.  
  
"What is that?" She asked.  
  
"You sure you wanna know?" Jake replied to the woman. She turned her head, and Zack also gave him a look.  
  
".It's death," and after that one simple answer he walked back into the main room, leaving the pair to follow.  
  
"Okay, the building clean, for now!" Jake called, "but, keep an eye on that tube."  
  
The group got together, taking seats in front of consoles and leaning on walls. All were expecting one thing; a story.  
  
"How did you know that this place may be dangerous?" Hayate inquired.  
  
Jake sighed to himself, and Tisha leaned forward in her swivel seat. She was rather expecting the story to be quick, concise and to the point, but he remembered every detail. because it was Hell.  
  
  
  
Part 4  
  
The Crisis  
  
  
  
'It was five years ago, before I quit DELTA. The US had sent me in undercover to investigate what Dynavein had. Dynavein Corporation, run by President Robert Tomlinson, had uncovered a meteor. One that had DNA on it; Alien DNA. Never told NASA, or any space agency. Instead, using Human DNA extracted from a scientist, they filled in holes in the frozen DNA strands, and built two aliens, from two strands of DNA found on that rock. One had more holes than the other, and more human DNA required. I couldn't believe what I'd found; It was real life Jurassic Park, but this was for science, not for entertainment. Which made it all the worse. They created Hell.'  
  
////////\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
"Hey, Jake!"  
  
"What, Mike?" The DELTA asked.  
  
The younger security officer glanced up at his taller companion, "Well, I  
  
was wondering, what you thought of this?"  
  
Jake grunted, "Aliens? Clones? I personally think it's a comic book."  
  
The young one lowered his gaze back down to the group of programmers, technicians and scientists below them, all monitoring the status of the SIGMA; the Alien. The room Jake was in was a cleaner, better working machine that what it would be in five years. All monitors functioning, hustle and bustle in every corner, it was a major program run here, and only a select few knew about it.  
  
"Hey, Jake! I got a code blue on number 1, check it out!"  
  
The security chief nodded and trotted off to the master console, glaring at it's flashing lights, "Well, we have. F**K!! CODE RED! CODE RED!"  
  
"Jake, the number 2 barrier's fluctuating!"  
  
The DELTA switched on the camera and watched as the SIGMA slammed into the barriers, going through, one, then another, "They all are, damn it! Bruce, Marisa, get out of there!"  
  
An ear piercing, shrill scream of terror, pain and instinct gripped the room, as the final barrier collapsed, sending all scattering, and the SIGMA free to move.  
  
"Oh, my god!" Jake whispered, "Emergency EVAC! Get to the Choppers!"  
  
Turning around, the DELTA operative kicked open a wall container and tore free an M4 5.56 mm assault rifle with under slung M203 grenade launcher, and a few clips of 5.56. As he loaded the rifle, he glared into the nearest security cam, "BAIL NOW!!"  
  
////////////\\\\\\\\\\  
  
"Jake," Kasumi laid one hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort the man.  
  
Tisha laid back in her seat reflecting on part of the told story. It was a scary thought, yes, of such a thing getting loose, but an entire security team armed to the teeth should have easily taken such a creature, as they'd seen in the tube, down.  
  
"I-" Jake started, and the whole group locked eyes with him again, "I can. still hear the screams. I couldn't. I couldn't save them. It just walked through them, like a wave of blood and blades, camouflaging in the walls, and striking from the dark. It was horror film. Tight passages.," the images of the passages flashed in his mind, "the claustrophobia," another flash of memory, "and the dim illumination from the EVAC alarms lights. You never knew, who it would get, or when. It wasn't 'if', but 'when'."  
  
The images flashed in his mind, the crimson, almost luminescent blood, the creature's fluorescent green eyes, the slight tint of yellow of human intestine and gore. 'Cursed for eternity to remember the depths of Hell itself,' that was what Mr. Tomlinson had said to him.  
  
"Jake?" Ryu asked, trying to get some sign of acknowledgment from the horror-wracked man.  
  
///////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
'Running down the passage way, with Marisa, Bruce, Mike, an up-and-coming biochemist named Garrett, and several others, we encountered it on several occasions on our way to the escape chopper. It took one of us each time. First Bruce, then Mike, and Garrett. Soon, it was just me and Marisa.'  
  
  
  
"Jake, what do we do? We can't leave without him!"  
  
Garrett had just been dragged into darkness by it, and Jake was running down the passage, dragging Marisa behind him, "We can and we will, Marisa! We're running out of time."  
  
Ripping her hand from his grasp she began going backwards, "Garrett's not DEAD!"  
  
"WHAT MAKE'S YOU THINK HE ISN'T, MARISA?!" Jake's outburst came with the cocking of his rifle, "I'd hate to do it, but if you slow me down, we're both as good as dead, and I might as well cook us both off!"  
  
Marisa began crying, a crystalline tear, rolling down her face, "He- he- he's not dead!" She croaked out, desperately.  
  
"He is, Marisa! And we'll be too, if we don't leave, now!"  
  
A thick liquid, almost syrupy, hit the barrel of Jake's rifle just then, and a low hissing sound was audible, looking right at Marisa, never looking up, he said, "RUN!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Part 5  
  
The Hunt Begins.  
  
  
  
"Creeeepy!" Tina said, commenting on Jake's tale.  
  
Tisha had to agree. How could mankind build such a creature? Why? For the sake of money? Is it a weapon? It is strange to think such thoughts, of course a weapon! But to be used on who?  
  
"Well, I think the first order of business is getting of this rock of an island!" Tisha said, stating the complete obvious, more of to get off that depressing subject, than to take action.  
  
Jake nodded, "There's a com tower at the top of complex. Helena! See if you could get DOATEC to lend us a ride. You are in charge of the company if I'm correct?"  
  
"Yes," Helena paused, "But wouldn't it be easier to call the mainland?"  
  
Tisha smiled and answered for him, "This is a no fly zone, probably. It's like a Bermuda Triangle. Things just. disappear."  
  
Jake nodded, "That's the word. Anything that sails, or flies near, vanishes."  
  
"Well, there ain't no whirlpool or hurricane here!" Bass added.  
  
"Then, the pilots will be skeptical!" Helena added.  
  
Jake grinned, mischievously, "but to retrieve the leader of DOATEC? I don't think so!"  
  
"Helena, get to the roof, and patch into that com tower. Get us a way out o' here! Hayate, Ryu, Ayane! You stay here, and keep an eye on that tube. I want to know the instant that thing moves!" Jake dished out the orders like a pro, "I'll take Tisha and Kasumi and head for the power reactor. Blow this place sky high! Whatever's on this rock is toast. And if Helena gets her job done, we're outta here!  
  
"Everyone else. is hunting!"  
  
Several cheers came from the DOA fighters, but only a few from the newbies.  
  
Tisha and Jake walked over to one wall, looked at each other, and kicked the wall, a small door opening, "You paid attention to the story!"  
  
Tisha glanced at what was inside, and took a blade from inside, flipped it open into a double-bladed sword, and distastefully placed in back in the cabinet, "I always do."  
  
Several weapons were inside, besides the interesting double-blade. There were some combat knives, many M4s, some MP5K sub-machine guns, a couple of M1911A1 Colt .45ACP pistols, and a MM1 revolver action grenade launcher.  
  
Jake took a pair of H&K MP5K 9mm sub-machine guns, some ammo clips and an M4. Slinging the M4 on his shoulder and backing away from the cabinet as Leon and Bayman rushed forward to pick a weapon of choice, he pulled the two H&Ks and sighed, "And this is my retirement!", he said, jerking the guns forward, chambering the first round of the clip.  
  
Leon took the pair of Colt .45s and smiled to himself, "Great men think alike, Vance."  
  
Jake smirked, seeing Leon's use of his last name.  
  
Bayman, being the blunt and direct man, took the grenade launcher, and began cackling almost manically.  
  
Tisha took the honor of passing out headsets to one person in each squad, Jake taking one for himself, followed by Hayate, Helena, Leon, and Lei- Fang. Leon and Lei-Fang took their teams and left the room immediately, heading for the stair well, Hayate, taking the pair of others into the nearby room.  
  
Jake tested his frequency, "Everyone there?"  
  
Hayate replied, "Loud and clear, Jake."  
  
"I hear you and respond," Helena said in her gentle voice.  
  
"I gotcha!" Leon's voice came booming across the frequency.  
  
"Good, and go!" Lei-Fang's typical personality almost flowing through the  
  
headpiece.  
  
"Ok, begin the operation!" Jake commanded.  
  
Tisha frowned and glared at him, "Don't be so formal! We're not all military."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"This certainly is a big round room!" Kasumi put in, looking up at the immense dome of the reactor core. The RR, filled with pylons and the column of the reactor towered over the three companions. The core shone brightly upon the woman's face, lighting up her beautiful, unscarred face.  
  
"This is the main power source for the facility. I'm surprised it's still going!  
  
A conduit must have blown somewhere, making the main facility lack power," Jake said, as he climbed a ladder on the side of a pylon.  
  
"Is that dangerous?" Tisha asked, scanning the room.  
  
"No," Jake replied, "This isn't a nuclear reactor. It uses revolutionary techniques. It fuses hydrogen molecules. The molecules need to be restocked every seven years or so. They did it once while I was here."  
  
"They've got a SUN in here?!" Kasumi and Tisha blared, at the same time.  
  
Jake popped open a panel, and turned toward the pair of women, "You know you're science!" Jake said, proudly, as if he was involved.  
  
The ex-DELTA placed one hand on his headpiece, "Helena, this is Jake! I'm in position. What's up?"  
  
There was a moment of static in the headpiece, "Three choppers inbound, ETA 20 minutes!"  
  
"Great! I'll set the overload for thirty minutes. That'll give us time to get clear. This explosion will light up your life."  
  
"No S**T!" Tisha called up.  
  
Jake cut the communiqué, and glanced back down at the girls, "The Fusion Reactor is barely the size of a quarter! Just enough to envelope the island and anything near in a small Nova."  
  
"NOVA?!" The girls shrieked again.  
  
Jake planted one hand on his head, showing he was getting a headache.  
  
"Uh. Jake.Jake! JAKE!!!"  
  
The DELTA gripped his head, "Calm down, Hayate, what's going on?"  
  
"It's the- NOOOOOO! AYANE!"  
  
Jake pulled his legs from the ladder and slid down. Hitting the metal flooring with a resounding sound, he darted past the women, calling for them to follow, and to be ready for combat. Part 6  
  
The Revelation  
  
Jake rounded the corner ready to spray the console room with gunfire, his MP5Ks pointing every direction, mostly up and to the sides, followed closely by the speedy Kasumi and agile Tisha ready for battle. They made their way, speedily, into the Cryo-room where Hayate, Ryu and Ayane were watching the tube.  
  
There it was, Ayane in its claws, it's enormous maw a fraction of a foot from her head. Hayate lay a few feet to the left, holding his gut, where'd he'd been slashed by the SIGMA's claws, and Ryu was in a battle pose facing the creature.  
  
It was amazing. The SIGMA must have been eight feet tall, when standing erect on it's reverse jointed legs. Two claws, laden with bladed fingers, gripped Ayane's torso, pinning her to the creature's side. An enormous tail, held the creature up on the wall, the razor blades biting deep into the steel. Its head was tall, keeping it's almost half a foot wide closed jaw in place. Its crystal clear teeth were visible with its opened mouth. Its skin was the most mesmerizing. Tisha could stand glaring at it for hours. It's skin 'shifted', the tint changing constantly to match the colors behind it, and nearby, in an attempt to make itself invisible to its opponents. But with a section of Ayane's body 'hidden' it was easy to spot.  
  
The creature desisted its attempts at hiding, revealing it's true silvery skin color, and hissed at the newcomers. Jake stood in the doorway, with barely enough room for the two girls to get in the room and circle their opponent.  
  
"DROP HER, YOU SON OF B***H!" Jake sprayed the creature's head with bullets. Three rounds; one, two, three, burrowed into the creature's skull. Ayane was dropped, the claws coming clean, leaving bright red marks on her forearms. Crimson blood dripped from her injuries, as she scampered away from the creature.  
  
The creature turned its head back to Jake, cocked and, unscathed. Jake frowned, and jerked back. Not a split second later, the creature discharged from the wall, pushed off the ground, and leaped at him. Falling onto his back, the creature passed over him, running head first into a console in the next room.  
  
Turning on all fours, the SIGMA snapped its tail forward, scorpion like, coming short of Jake's head by a fraction of an inch. Quickly standing, and sliding forward, Jake tried to avoid further attacks. That maneuver saved his life. The SIGMA came head on again, this time leaving Jake no margin for escape, no time to dodge. But, Kasumi and Tisha were ready. Timing their attacks ever so perfectly they both delivered flying kicks, sending the SIGMA spinning on it's axis. The creature landed flat on top of Jake. Ryu rushed forward, grabbed the creature and tossed it up.  
  
Aborting his usual continuation of the move, Ryu helped Jake up, and grabbed Hayate. Together the group left the room, all before the thing hit ground again.  
  
  
  
Lei-Fang's team and Leon's team met at the entrance. "GO, GO, GO, GO!" Jake yelled, motioning for them to get away from the entrance.  
  
Bayman stepped forward and raised the MM1. The SIGMA hit ground gracefully, and spun to face the door. Bayman squinted, taking careful aim. Missing would end it all, "Shoot it!" Tina cried.  
  
The creature leapt for Bayman, and, Bayman fired. The round sped fast, and hit the creature square in the forehead. Before the explosion, it was knocked back into the Cryo-room, exploding seconds afterwards. The explosion sent Bayman reeling, trying to recover from the wave of heat and force coming from the room.  
  
"Let's GO! Helena's waiting!" Jake commanded lifting a few people off the floor, and pushing them to the stairs. He unloaded a clip of 9mm into the Cryo-room before leaving, just to be sure. In this business, it pays to be sure.  
  
Tisha lead the team, up and up the stairwell. Looking up, and then down to check her footing. Thirty floors, she thought. Let's start!  
  
What they weren't aware of, was that the SIGMA was far from dead.  
  
  
  
Part 7  
  
The Great Escape  
  
  
  
Tisha kicked the roof door open. The door slammed into the concrete roof wall, and the first thing in sight was the enormous COM tower dish. As big as everyone present lined up one on top of the other, it was enormous and Helena was crouched with Zack at one side of it, wires running from her headset to the dish.  
  
Helena pulled the cords free and rushed to a big expanse on the roof and began waving her arms. Wind whipped her hair back., and three choppers circled in. Helena waved them down and motioned for everyone to come over. Landing softly on the rock surface, they waited patiently for their passengers, if nervously.  
  
"They're early!" Helena yelled over the rotors.  
  
HREEEEEE!!!!!!  
  
"WHO CARES!" Tisha yelled and began to board a helicopter, her head bowed to avoid the lowering blades.  
  
The group hastened their steps except for Bayman and Jake, who suddenly starting shooting down the tunnel behind them. The sound of empty cartridges hitting the ground resounded even in the open air, and the booming of the grenade explosions was easily heard.  
  
"Go, Bayman, go!" Jake cried, as he quickly dropped the empty clips of his guns, slammed the sub-machine guns into his hips, lining up another clip into the slots, and jerked them forward, cocking them again.  
  
Bayman, turned reloading the MM1 as he jogged to the choppers.  
  
Jake cut lose when the SIGMA was almost on him. The sheer force of the blows sent the creature backwards. Jake then turned and ran like the dogs of Hell were behind him.  
  
He had a twenty five meter head start when SIGMA burst out of the tunnel, bruised and pissed.  
  
"Come on!" Tisha cried, throwing her arms out.  
  
Jake pushed harder, sending himself into an overdrive, going as fast as his body could take him. and that was fast. The SIGMA watched him, analyzed him, and sped after him. The helicopters began to lift off, with their already heavy loads. They were going leave Jake behind.  
  
Jake stopped at the edge of the building, watching his hope leave him in the abyss of despair, ".no!"  
  
Dropping to his knees, Jake gave up. So many times he had evaded death. Was this the time it came for his blood, seeking everlasting revenge? They had left without him, and with good reason. The hero has fallen, and there is no getting up again, Jake, he told himself.  
  
The creature skidded to a stop behind him and stood ominously over him. He turned his head half-way round to see it, then, he said, "You'll have to catch me, you son of bitch!" And with that, fell over the side, into the dense treetops.  
  
"NOOOO!" Tisha cried out. She surprised herself, hearing herself say it. She didn't care if he lived or died, but he was willing to give it all for them, to help them live. Why? Why did they leave him? He deserved to live. Maybe it was honor. or maybe she'd gotten used to him being there.  
  
"Tisha," Kasumi said, "we have to get clear of the island."  
  
The pilot leaned back to look at her, "Why?"  
  
Kasumi explained the events that led up to their escape. The reactor, being the most prominent.  
  
Tisha brightened up suddenly, "Land at that cliff! I'll be back in five minutes. If I'm not, leave without me, too."  
  
"WHAT?!" Was the response throughout the people on the helicopter, including Helena, Kasumi, Leon and the pilot.  
  
"I'm going back for his body! I'm not leaving without him!" Tisha said, her mind already made up.  
  
Helena came forward in the tight compartment of the Helicopter, "Tisha, there's no time!"  
  
Tisha checked her watch, which was amazingly, still functioning, "We still have ten minutes! Five minutes is all I'm asking!"  
  
Kasumi looked at the pilot, and shrugged, giving up on trying to convince  
  
Tisha otherwise, "Alright, but five minutes is all I'm givin' ya!" The pilot  
  
replied and moved to land on the eastern cliff of the island.  
  
Jake, miraculously, opened his eyes... at horror.  
  
Part 8  
  
The Imagination  
  
It was all splayed out before him. The scene of the original violence. Jake was in the passages, the Cryo-room, and Control room. He could see it all, and was any of it real. The inevitable incident would come, and he couldn't stop it. People bustling about, then running, screaming, and all the bodies fell over with deep wounds, the crimson blood staining the floor. The smell of steaming gore and fear was dense in the room. It was salty, almost, and humid. The taste of copper in his mouth, he taste of fear. It was there, somewhere. As it had, five years ago.  
  
////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
The passage was cold, dark, feeling airless, and compressed. The room smelled of grease and salt. The air was heavy, and the pentagonal route was all ahead of him. And around any corner, on any wall, it could be.  
  
Jake ran, Garrett and Marisa close behind.  
  
"Come on, you two! Keep up!"  
  
Garrett was lagging, afraid, and temper mental. His white coat was torn, showing his almost see through white under shirt. His shoulder-length brown hair was ruffled, and his normally twinkling eyes, now bristled with the frost of fear and horror.  
  
Marisa wasn't much better, her scientist outfit also half-destroyed, her black hair, initially pulled up in a pony-tail, disheveled and her almond- shaped face was smeared with the dried blood of others.  
  
"We're at least a few hours from the boats, Jake! We'll never make it!" Garrett complained.  
  
"Well, why don't you be moral officer, now hustle!" Jake commanded, barely cocking his head to speak.  
  
Marisa began to slow, "Jake, we're tired, can't we stop."  
  
"Then start building a long, thin box!" Jake said, as he began to leave the behind, "I have my own life to live!"  
  
"JAKE!"  
  
The DELTA operative stopped, and glared back at the scientist pair. Their faces red with exhaustion, and their breathing sporadic from fatigue, they  
  
were a sight. And so was the object behind them.  
  
A dangling tail, lined with razor blades, "GET DOWN!" Jake shouted, as he began shooting just above the tail.  
  
HREEEE!!  
  
The tail whipped, missing Marisa by a fraction of a millimeter, the very breeze, slashing her arm. The tail pierced right through Garrett's chest, and lifted him up out of sight.  
  
Marisa was paralyzed by panic. The only friend she ever knew died an unclean, unmerciful death. What was he? Dinner.  
  
"Dammit, run!" Jake rushed forward, grabbed her good arm, and yanked her down he path of redemption.  
  
////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
The memories were clear now. It all came back to him. He had abandoned Garrett. All because of SIGMA. It wasn't just trying to kill him, and everyone else. He remembered, all in an instant. it was aware, thoughtful, and heartless. This event took a whole new turn. Now, It was personal.  
  
Part 9  
  
With A Vengeance  
  
Tisha dashed through the woods, her eyes tracking any movement. The creature could be anywhere, and so could Jake. The man had fallen in front of the Dynavein building. He should be near there. One more minute, Tisha! No more!  
  
And then, there he was lying in a tree mushroom. Those wide, soft fungi had saved his life. And right at eye level for him, was the mottled brown egg they had seen. It began rocking, violently, from side to side. The dirt was shoved from it's fortification around the egg's base. The shell cracked.  
  
Jake brought his MP5K up, and leveled it at the egg. One claw bit forth, and Jake shot up the egg. A shrill squeal was heard, and the egg fell over, whatever was inside dead.  
  
HREEEEEE! It came.  
  
"You basta-! AAAAAAGGGHHH!" Jake began to cuss, and was summarily dragged into the trees by an invisible form. It was magnificent, the very air seemed to 'push out' toward her vision, but now wasn't the time for subtly. Follow the SIGMA.  
  
She ran, around in a circle up a tree's plate mushrooms until she was at the right level, and angle. She jumped, clear into the air, onto the SIGMA's flying back. Her two legs slammed precisely into the creature's spine.  
  
Its skin may be tough, but a blunt blow doesn't need to penetrate skin to do damage. The SIGMA fell limply to the ground, Jake still in it's arms. The creature's hide fell back on it's default, and the creature stopped moving.  
  
Wrenching Jake free, Tisha pulled him to his feet. He then shoved her away, "It's not dead!"  
  
"It will be in three minutes! The reactor!" Tisha reminded him.  
  
Jake's eyes bulged, "Oh my God! RUN!"  
  
Jake and Tisha dashed away into the woods, and the SIGMA let out a  
  
roar, as it cricked it's spinal column back into place, "They shall cry for their resistance, before they die!" It snapped and chased after them.  
  
Jake staggered to the helicopter, "Come on, move, MOVE! We ain't got all day!" The pilot was yelling.  
  
Tisha waved the pilot to lift off as she boarded the helicopter, "Thirty seconds to spare, Tisha! Too close!" Helena said as they lifted off.  
  
Jake was watching the island begin to disappear below him, "Don't you ever die!?" He cried over the rotors. Cocking his gun, he began shooting  
  
out the side of the helicopter.  
  
Kasumi, and Helena were violently thrown to one side of the helicopter, Kasumi holding onto the door as her legs flew out side, "KASUMI! Hang on!"  
  
The helicopter righted itself and Kasumi pulled herself in, when Tisha was suddenly dragged out the other side, by SIGMA. A tail blade wrenched into the flooring, pushing out underneath Helena's feet.  
  
"F**K!" Jake tied a make-shift rope to one chair, and then to his waist, and slid down the floor, out the door.  
  
Tisha was being held underneath the helicopter canopy. The SIGMA's jaws open wide. perfect. Jake only need one shot, "Eat this!" Jake pulled out his MP5K gas-operated sub-machine gun, smirked, and unleashed only three rounds. right into the open maw.  
  
The SIGMA's head curled back in pain, the steel bullets punching deep into it's skull, in it's one weakness. A green fluid flew out the back of it's cranium, caught in the wind, blown away. Then it fell, Tisha still it's arms.  
  
Releasing the tension on the cord, Jake slid down to the very end of it's reach; 40 feet, grabbing Tisha's left hand.  
  
Back, on the helicopter, Kasumi took one look at the cord that Jake was hanging on, forty feet below. It was beginning to snap, "It always works in the movies!" Helena yelled, as she dove for the cord. She caught it, and pulled, trying desperately to pull him up while Jake held onto Tisha.  
  
Kasumi came over to Helena and began to help pull.  
  
The cord snapped, and Kasumi was strained. She was a ninja, not a weight- lifter. Still, the human drug Adrenaline was in their systems, and managed to help them pull Jake up. Tisha looked at Jake, with a new respect, "Eye for an eye," Jake said.  
  
Tisha paused, comprehending those words, "yes."  
  
A blinding flash, and all sound was empty, not even the constant rotor blades. Tisha blinked and shielded her face from the glare. Kasumi looked at the island, and at the pattern of light playing off the water far below. Not a sound, but a wave of force. The reactor had blown it's top. The miniature sun expanded, giving off a bright light, the imploded.  
  
The resulting blast sent the helicopter spinning.  
  
The air in Kasumi's lungs was forced out, and Jake was thrown clear cross the small cabin, hitting Helena. Jake latched onto the wall Kasumi had not a few moments before, Helena grasping his hands, trying to keep herself in as well.  
  
"HANG ON!" the pilot said as the helicopter began a slow, circling  
  
Part 10  
  
A Tearful Farewell  
  
"No." Tisha whispered, quietly.  
  
"Tisha. he gave it his all. There was nothing else you could have done, nothing."  
  
They were all there, dressed in their finest to give one last farewell to the one man who got them through it all, at the cost of his life. Lieutenant Jake Andrews Vance, Ex-DELTA force, and proud commander that saved their lives. He died when their helicopter came in on the landing pad at Elijah Island, out of control.  
  
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, amen," The priest closed the book he'd read from, and stepped back into the line of people.  
  
"Atteeenshun! Preseeent Arms!" Seven men stood in formation a few feet away, "FIRE!" Bang! "FIRE!" Bang! "FIRE!" Bang!  
  
A sad memoir music began, which lowered the spirits of all. The American flag flew at half-mast and all in attendance felt sorrow at his loss.  
  
The military send-off complete, and an American flag presented to his sister, Lorraine, the funeral was over.  
  
It had all become clear to Tisha after the event; Jake hadn't quit DELTA, retired or anything. He was under orders the entire time; orders to guard her. She was an American citizen and the United States of America wanted her alive, at any cost.  
  
"I just don't get it!" Bass said, "Why this whole shebang?"  
  
Tina elbowed him and gave him a look that said 'shut up'.  
  
"He was good fighter," Bayman said, and Leon nodded.  
  
Tisha went over to her car without a word to anyone. She didn't want them to see her tears. One way or another, she would miss him.  
  
Tisha wouldn't be the only one to cry for his loss, but now it was time for the tournament. DOA4 had been relocated to Los Angeles, much safer than Elijah Isle. The entire area quarantined, patrolled regularly. The Dynavein island, itself, had been carpet bombed by America and it's allies. No one was allowed near.  
  
Time to cry later. Be strong, and win.  
  
* * *  
  
"Before we begin, I have an announcement," the host of the DOA 4 tournament, a Mr. Tomlinson, was speaking from his pedestal above the competitors and spectators of the event.  
  
"A story must be told. Everyone here knows of what I speak," there was an awkward silence, "Lieutenant Jake Vance lived only a few blocks from here. And now, I wish a moment of silence. Jake Vance was a hero, awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for the sacrifice he made."  
  
Tisha smiled from her position in the line-up. She side-glanced at Ayane, and noticed a faint spark; A tear. Was Ayane crying?  
  
"This is their story." Tomlinson said, as he glared right down at the DOA fighters, "And one man who risked it all."  
  
  
  
Many questions haunted Tisha after that event; Why did the US want her alive?, was the most prominent in her mind. She was unimportant, a professor of Music and Dance, as well as a martial artist. What was so important about her? Why does the name Tomlinson sound so ominous, now? And why was Jake assigned as defense? From what?  
  
But several things, she didn't know. How did Jake really die? How could she be certain he died in the crash, mutilated as he was? But one thing was certain...  
  
...Project SIGMA was far from over. 


	2. Judgment Day

Disclaimer: This was missing in chapter 1, and I'm sorry about that. I don't own any characters in this story, besides Tisha, Jake, Cadman, Nataku, Misty, All of Dynavein, sweet Tooth, Rogue Shinobi, etc. All other things belong to Tecmo Inc, and the Grendel creature in this is credited to Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes, and Larry Niven's novel The Legacy of Heorot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Episode 2  
  
DOA: Judgment Day  
  
Part 1  
  
Hunter & Hunted  
  
  
  
Robert Tomlinson's steps were heavy as he plodded down into the main complex. The passage was dark, dank and not to his liking. The circular tube had been specially designed to thwart detection, the occasional irregular walls made it seem just like a normal cave. There were no lights, no heaters, just the cave.  
  
Robert stopped, and peered to his left, closely, flashing his light at it. He then slammed his fist on the wall, and it slid open as a door. The room seemed so lively and familiar. The terraced consoles, and large monitor watching the subject.  
  
Dynavein Corporation lived on this formation. Except, they had learned. A human can be controlled much easier than a barbaric alien. This time, they hadn't created, but enhanced. Project Tau Ceti was moving much faster, and bringing much less attention than Elijah Island had. And this was more of a security measure than to augment human scientific knowledge. Tisha Swithwind knew too much about Project SIGMA and needed to die.  
  
Robert was a wealthy, if ruthless, man. He craved power, and with Tau Ceti by his side, his Hunter Seekers, code named Sweet Tooth, would find and destroy any who opposed him. Military significance was the ultimate power.  
  
Robert nodded to the project supervisor and proceeded into the Cryo-chamber to meet the Alpha prototype. Sweet Tooth had to be put into commission early, before Tisha spilled what she knew about Dynavein, the true secrets behind their research. The first test was successful in eliminating the troublesome Jake Vance, but Tisha was more deadly, faster, and used her wits better than that DELTA. A fully operational Sweet Tooth must be put in.  
  
Sweet Tooth was the first enhanced persona. This is where the code name was taken. Sweet Tooth was a. reluctant partner in the venture. He was an ice- cold super ninja, but he was also easily altered to Dynavein's purpose.  
  
"Train the rifles on him! Then, revive him," commanded Robert.  
  
A blue-ish white gas filled the tube that Sweet Tooth was in. Robert consulted a screen on the wall that was monitoring Sweet Tooth's vital signs; it went from one heartbeat a minute to the normal level. Breathing kicked in, and the oxygen mask was removed from his face.  
  
A smug smile came across Robert's smile. Cryogenics actually worked. Wait till the Science Department at UCLA heard about this! They said it wasn't possible? Hah! Robert would show them.  
  
Finally, the tube lifted and Sweet Tooth collapsed to the ground, and Robert had to give a quick order for his men to stay back. Sweet Tooth began breathing the harsh air around him, taking it in. Then, couldn't find how he'd gotten there.  
  
"Get up!" Robert ordered.  
  
What?! This insolent, little man telling ME what to do?! But Sweet Tooth found himself unable to resist the order. He stood, and glared right into Robert's eyes.  
  
"You are a ninja, enhanced by my Tau Ceti project, and the most dangerous creature alive."  
  
It's funny, calling Sweet Tooth a creature. Strangely, amusing, Robert thought.  
  
"Whom do you serve?" Robert asked.  
  
Sweet Tooth tensed, hesitating a moment, fighting the will-less impulse to say Robert Tomlinson, but failed, "Robert Tomlinson."  
  
Robert smiled. He had the ultimate killing machine under his finger, "You do not know pain, nor fatigue, or terror. You are a perfected human being. Be grateful for the powers I have bestowed upon you."  
  
NEVER! Sweet Tooth didn't take orders from anyone!  
  
"Now, a test, you must pass, to prove yourself."  
  
A ninja knows no fear. This man doesn't scare me. That needn't have been added, at all. Ninjas are perfect, in every fiber of our beings. Now, why, why can't I speak with my own voice, and cut him down where he stands? For the first time ever, Sweet Tooth was nervous.  
  
Damn you, Tomlinson!  
  
Part 2  
  
The Apprentice  
  
  
  
Ayane spun, launching three quick, confusing attacks. Her opponent ducked low, throwing her left arm up to deflect any lower blows. Ayane threw a low kick to offset her enemy, but the young martial artist saw it coming. A small hop over the ground kick and she was clear. All of this took two seconds.  
  
"You're good, Misty, but not that good. Look down," Ayane commanded.  
  
The teenager glared at her own chest, looking at the artfully delivered fist, that stopped a fraction of a millimeter from her heart. The blow would have stopped the cardiac muscle's contractions, killing her.  
  
Misty sighed and backed away shaking her head, "That wasn't very long."  
  
"Ten seconds this time! Kasumi's record against me is merely twelve. A match doesn't last long in the arena. Only the best can get above nine."  
  
Misty didn't have to like it, though. She lost! If she intends to compete in the DOA championship she must be prepared to win.  
  
"Some of the hardest battles you will ever face, Misty, last under three seconds. Most common will be with ninjas. They are fast, and powerful, as are you."  
  
Misty shook her head, again, trying to make herself feel better.  
  
Ayane grinned, sardonically, "The apprentice can't help but lose to the master. You may have had a chance at winning if you had the drive to kill me."  
  
Misty's head snapped up, her sparkling brown eyes staring daggers into Ayane's face, "Never!"  
  
Ayane smiled affectionately at her ninja student, "there may be a day, when you face one as powerful as I, and will find the need to win, at any cost. Take no prisoners, Misty. You must survive."  
  
The DOA4 tournament was only a few days away. Misty was matched against some of the best very early on. The semi-finals were within reach if she could win three battles. The masterful Capoerist Tisha Swithwind was first in line. Ayane had told her of this one, very dangerous, and very skilled. She had gone toe-to-toe with one of the most powerful creatures ever to have existed to save someone she cared for. and LIVED.  
  
"Interesting, Master Ayane, how I was pitted against the strongest early on," she continued to gaze at her trainer, thoughtfully, "How can I be sure you weren't involved in that?"  
  
"Not only strong, but fast of the mind, I see. Yes, I pulled in a few favors to test you."  
  
Misty glared at her teacher again, annoyed at Ayane's true intentions; to get Misty out of DOA4 earl. Bowing to Ayane, as a show of respect, Misty then made her way to the door. Dead or Alive 4 would require much more than what Ayane was used to, because I know how she fights! Misty thought, as she proceeded to change for the streets and home.  
  
Little did she know, that someone was watching from the shadows, waiting patiently, for the chance to strike. And it wasn't Ayane.  
  
Part 3  
  
Staves  
  
  
  
Speed was critical. Jones, spun the staff over his head, showing his command of the hickory wood weapon. It was light, thin, and packed a punch a man couldn't believe until hit by it. His opponent, Tanya, flipped her staff open, the red coloring burning into his head, distracting him. She came in low, and thrust up with the staff. Jones blocked the blow with a spin of his staff, sending her's up.  
  
A quick counter sent Tanya reeling before she could follow through. Nearly falling, she swatted the quick thrust away, as well. But, his forward motion was still unchecked. She sidestepped, but instead of unbalancing him, Jones rolled, putting the energy to use, "Come on, Tanya. Your rep says you aren't this clumsy!"  
  
Angered by the insult, she quickly masked her feelings, and struck with a series of impressive combination attacks. Jones was stronger and maybe a tad faster, but she had agility. And agility is what was key when fighting with staffs.  
  
Doing a slight hop and pulling her legs to her chest, she spun the staff underneath her, the blow connecting with Jones's left knee. He crumbled, dropping all his weight onto his good leg. Full of delight, Tanya could taste victory.  
  
"You lose, Tanya! Speed is of the essence," he yelled gleefully as he back flipped away.  
  
"What the (beep)?!"  
  
Landing on his wounded knee, Jones crouched again, laughing.  
  
Unhindered, he brought on a full onslaught of attacks, pinning her to the wall of the arena. But, she had one surprise up her sleeve. Ducking low to avoid a head shot from his staff, she slammed one hand on the tip of her staff, shrinking it down. Then, with the space required, jabbed it into his gut.  
  
"Ugh!" He collapsed on the staff, as she pushed him back, away from her. He held his stomach for a second, then looked at her, "Nice match," he gave her a thumbs up, then threw up all over the floor.  
  
I guess a hard hit in the gut'll do that, Tanya thought, as she swept away her own disgust.  
  
"Ready for our match, I see. Good improv, but I think you couldn't have done that had I known!"  
  
Tanya gave him a playful glance, "Yeah, right, check!"  
  
Jones waved her away with one hand, and wiped the bile from his mouth.  
  
The disgusting taste of the syrup and pancakes he'd had that morning, mixed with his stomach acid, plagued his tongue, Ugh!  
  
"Hey, Jones!" Tanya called.  
  
Jones looked out of the corner of his eye at her, I need to keep better track of her! "What?"  
  
"Looks like Match One is getting' goin'! You wanna watch?" Tanya turned her head, with a deliberate taunting glance.  
  
"Hell ya, Tanya! Who's fightin'?" Jones was all game for watching others beat each other up, so he could diss their bad fighting skill and see if any pitiful fighters died in some strange way. One time he saw a newcomer fall over while fighting Ayane and broke his own neck! Ayane didn't have to a do a thing.  
  
"Looks like a pair of b****s to me. Prissy little power wads!"  
  
Jones sat down, and seemed to for the first time notice what Tanya was wearing. He turned his head away, and whistled silently to himself. He had never seen something so.. Revealing, without seeing. much. then he remembered, that she wore those things just to taunt him, ever since he met her.  
  
But, his train of thought was interrupted by the cheering fans, and the bell for the match to begin.  
  
Part 4  
  
The Union  
  
  
  
First Three Rounds of DOA Matches  
  
Nataku-Tisha, Christie-Kasumi, Tina-Zack  
  
Misty-(Winner of 1), Bass-(Winner of 2), Ayane-(winner of 3)  
  
Jann Lee-(Winner of 1), Lei-Fang (Winner of 2), Brad-Winner of 3)  
  
  
  
Nataku walked up to the poster that hung on one wall on the inside of Tomlinson stadium. The poster displayed the first three matches of the DOA tournament. He was to face Tisha Swithwind in the first match of the day. He smiled, She is a worthy opponent, showing no fear in the face of danger. Few can accomplish such a feat.  
  
He shook his head of such thoughts. A samurai, even an American one, must be clean of such notions. He walked over to the locker room where he would prepare himself for the trails ahead.  
  
The room's linoleum floor made his steps echo and the near empty room helped to amplify the sounds his light steps made. He walked over to the locker that held his name. Written with a Sharpie marker on a piece of tape on his locker door, the name read 'Nathku.' Nataku ripped the tape from the locker, shaking his head. Can't anyone get anything right?  
  
  
  
He stripped off his shirt and placed it in the aqua-colored street locker. But, a pair of piercing blue eyes were watching from the shadows. This stalker's knowledge of Nataku was great, almost too great. And the dark shape knew Tisha as well. Every secret of her life; some Tisha didn't know. And in the shadows of the dimly lit locker room, the figure watched, and waited.  
  
* * * *  
  
Tisha walked, meanwhile walked into her own locker room. She walked into a nearly full one. Tina, Christie, and Kasumi were readying themselves for they're matches. Tisha did a double take, looking at the way Kasumi and Christie were acting.  
  
Even though, in a few minutes they were going to give it their all to try to kill each other, they were almost best friends in the back room.  
  
"Hey, Kasumi!"  
  
"What?" The red-head asked of Christie.  
  
The assassin handed Kasumi a live... rubber snake. Christie apparently thought she'd freak out. Kasumi tossed it at Tina's unwatching back. The wrestler nearly had a heart attack.  
  
Tisha's jaw dropped. What... the... hell?!  
  
The two deadly women clapped hands as they watched their friend run around, trying to get the snake off her neck. They were laughing their heads off, and Tisha found herself grinning also. You never thought that such a woman as Tina would be afraid of snakes.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Let the tournament, BEGIN!" Robert Tomlinson's booming voice stretched throughout the large stadium, and cheers erupted.  
  
Two, relatively small bodies stood in the center of the massive stadium. The building could've served as multiple football fields at a time if devoted to that, but was built specifically for the DOA tournament. The four were gathered there; Jones and Tanya watching from high above, Nataku in the center of the combat field, and Misty watching from the stands. The four that could change the inevitable. Yet, a bond must form, he thought, A bond, that will keep them together for eternity. It is all that can save them, now.  
  
Sweet Tooth made his move.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 5  
  
Twists of Fate  
  
Nataku gave one low kick, and jumped back away from his capoerist foe. The woman performed an artful kick, the leg flying almost all the way up to her neck. while she was facing away from Nataku.  
  
The wind from the near miss blew over Nataku and his skin tingled. She spun, delivering a low sliding kick meant to set him off-balance. He jumped and landed on her leg. She had slowed just in time for that, kicking up at the last instant, tripping him.  
  
On his back, Nataku was vulnerable. He placed the palms of his sweaty hands on the dirt, pushed up and performed a mid-air split, kicking in all directions as he came up. Tisha was forced back. She spread her legs, to get better balance, and came at him again with a series of high and low punches.  
  
Nataku blocked them all, shoving them aside a few inches with his wrist and forearm, enough that they missed. Now, it was Nataku's turn. The samurai came forward, and low, jumping up high to avoid a low defensive kick. When he hit ground, he kicked some dirt into Tisha's eyes to obscure her vision.  
  
Tisha rubbed speedily with one hand at her eyes, as she kicked and punched in front of her. The spray was badly aimed, but worked. The dirt was out of her eyes in a few seconds. Nataku was suddenly behind her.  
  
He gave her one solid punch to the base of the spine. She caved, falling forward.  
  
Misty smiled with approval from the audience, A well designed, if slightly dirty trick. I'll have to watch out for that.  
  
A glimmer of light, blade thin and true, invisible to the untrained eye, was caught in Misty's vision. It sped quickly, right for Tisha. She jumped from her seat and yelled a warning, but was drowned out by fans screaming for Nataku to finish it. He didn't have to.  
  
The shuriken bit into Tisha's neck, cutting her spinal column in half. She didn't feel a thing. She slumped, dead. Nataku's head whipped around, and saw the man sitting on one of the light posts, that stood high over the crowd. Wearing a dark cloak and emitting an aura of death, the man frightened all in the stands, save one.  
  
Sweet Tooth smiled from high above, "My target is dead. Now, or my own fun!" He jumped, pulling his katana as he fell at the unarmed Nataku.  
  
Misty was armed. Meeting Sweet Tooth mid-air, she pulled her blade and began to fight with the super ninja.  
  
Several of the DOA fighters charged out ready to deal with this new threat, among them, shinobis; Kasumi and Hayate in particular.  
  
The super ninja hit ground, dealing a hard kick to Misty's chest, sending her flying away. Kasumi came forward, her sword extended outward, Sweet Tooth batted the blade away, and punched her in the pelvis. Kasumi slumped and fell to the ground.  
  
Hayate didn't make it to Sweet Tooth. His feet suddenly felt weighted, and tied together. The muscled shinobis fell, with a simple tool tied to his legs; two rocks and a string.  
  
Hayabusa stayed back and watched Sweet Tooth move, how he reacted, the ninja judging his opponent.  
  
High in his box seat, Robert Tomlinson watched his creation work, "magnificent, isn't he, Jake?"  
  
The DELTA operative was bound in a glass tube in the back watching it all, "DAMN YOU, TOMLINSON!!!! YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH IT!!!"  
  
"You're dead, Jake. I've already gotten away with it." The President of Dynavein rubbed his hands together.  
  
Tomlinson replayed his plan in his mind, Ah yes, capture Lieutenant Vance, replace him with a 'dead' clone, keep the man for my own works, and release Tau Ceti to clean up the mess. It's perfect! And going exactly as planned.  
  
  
  
Part 6  
  
The Party  
  
"This is getting out of hand, Robert! Call him back!" Jake called from his tube, his voice muffled through the glass. "The sad thing is, Jake, you're right. Call Tau Ceti back!" Robert leaned back in his chair and sipped a bit from his scotch. Now, all he had to do was destroy the others. "Sir!" The order was responded, as Robert watched his super ninja jump up to the stands, sending fans scattering. Three of the competitors followed. Robert leaned forward again, sharply. This is better than anticipated!  
  
* * * *  
  
"Oh, no you don't you Son of a b***h!" Misty jumped after him, dirt still clinging to her loose pants. Hayabusa, Misty and Nataku were giving chase to the assassin. They were the only ones fast enough, and the only ones who cared. Ayane watched from below as she untied Hayate's legs. The fools! They're outmatched. Misty jumped landing where the assassin had been only seconds before. She followed with a slightly smaller jump. Soon, they were all on the rooftops of LA. Nataku and Misty were barely able to keep pace with the ultra fast Sweet Tooth, but Hayabusa was less challenged. The two super ninjas met somewhere over a busy city street, 500 feet below them. They safely landed on the opposite scraper, and a battle soon ensued. Sweet Tooth's blade slid through the air, but Hayabusa was an even match for him. Both trained to ultimate, but one pushed beyond the edge, it was a matter of time before Hayabusa would fall. Nataku and Misty lined up their jumps with meticulous care, and timed their jumps to perfection as they vaulted the large street below. It was a scene from The Matrix as the ninjas battled on skyscraper roofs hundreds of feet above certain death. Hayabusa brought his katana up vertical in a thin wall. The block kept Sweet Tooth's viciously razor-edged blade inches from his head. Pulling his sword up, Hayabusa pulled himself free from the jaws of death. Nataku and Misty vaulted the street and landed on the gravel-covered roof of the building. Drawing their weapons, they proceeded to the battle. Sweet Tooth batted Nataku's blade away and whistled, low, too low for any to hear. Misty brought her blade up, ready to slash Sweet Tooth's exposed chest. When she was knocked flat on her side. A raven and hit her, beak first, clipping her skull. Blood trickled down the back of her neck as she glared at the bird, angrily. She was far from over with that bird. Nataku and Hayabusa engaged in close combat with the super ninja, one on either side of the dangerous loner. Sweet Tooth pulled his katana over his head, blocking a strike from Nataku, and brought the blade forward to hit Hayabusa. This battle would end in a few seconds, if Misty could get away from the raven that was distracting her. Two more shapes vaulted over the streets below; a man and a woman. The two streaked toward the super ninja. They weren't moving very fast, but fast enough. Sweet Tooth was forced to back flip away from the two new opponents. He was good, but not that good. "Sorry to crash the party!" Came the audible, and very masculine voice from one shape. Misty snapped her head away from the raven to access this possible new danger. or at least, that's what she told herself. Jones spun his staff over his head, and planted it beside him. The woman flipped her own weapon open, ready for battle. "I'm afraid we cut this a little close, eh, Jones?" Tanya asked. "Not a moment too soon, though!" Jones replied. Sweet Tooth smiled, accepting this new threat, "Things are complicating, I see. No matter. My objective is complete." Nataku rushed forward, a streak of color, blazing sword over head, going right for the throat of his foe. Suddenly, Sweet Tooth and the raven just. vanished. Nataku's forward motion was going to carry him over the side. Jones and Tanya reached forward to grab him, but were too late. Hayabusa flew through the air, catching Nataku as he fell. The ninja pair flew to the other side, and Hayabusa managed to get one hand up, grabbing the ledge of the opposite building. Gasping for air, Hayabusa said, "And. a party. it surely is. whoever you are." Part 7  
  
Guess What?  
  
"My mission is complete, Tomlinson."  
  
The President of Dynavein smiled, playing with his now empty scotch glass, "You were magnificent Sweet Tooth."  
  
Sweet Tooth trudged over to a grate, and his long silvery hair was blown back by the air conditioner. He felt cooler under the cooling unit. Finally, Sweet Tooth's consciousness spoke for itself, "When I can I leave?"  
  
Tomlinson seemed troubled by this, "Leave?"  
  
"Yes. My personal quest is far from completed. This one is over."  
  
President Tomlinson dropped the glass, "It is not over until I say it's over. And if I have my way, you won't be going home."  
  
Sweet Tooth was a blur, reacting to the vague threat. His blade was stopped by Tomlinson when it was a sheer millimeter from his face. Sweet Tooth. couldn't move.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor boy. You forget the power I hold," Tomlinson shook one finger slowly in front of Sweet Tooth's face.  
  
AARRGGHHH! Sweet Tooth was more than irritated; he was pissed off. So close to freedom!  
  
"Ivanovich!" Tomlinson called.  
  
A short, balding man stepped from a panel above. The man wore a white coat, with a pair of rounded glasses stuck into a pocket.  
  
"Zyes?" The man replied with a thick Russian accent.  
  
"Begin Project: Neo Genesis. Tau Ceti is unstable."  
  
* * * *  
  
"So, this guy is some sort of super ninja?" Jones asked.  
  
Tanya rolled her eyes. The group and a few of the DOA competitors, including Kasumi, Hayabusa, Hayate, and Ayane, were sitting around a table in the local mall café.  
  
"No doubt about it. Few have a chance to LIVE against me, let alone beat me," Hayabusa said, worriedly.  
  
"So what would this assassin want with Tisha. If anyone, he'd be coming for me!" Kasumi put in.  
  
Ayane leaned back in her seat, beginning to piece it together, "Remember the Dynavein Isle, Kasumi?"  
  
Kasumi leered at her half-sister, trying to block out the already horrid memories of that. thing! "I'd rather not."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What Island?" Tanya slid forward in her seat, pulling her elbows up onto the table, expectantly.  
  
So, Ayane, in her usual fashion, dumped the whole story of their past experience in a gruesome fashion. Especially, Jake's death. Hayate remained quiet, remembering how it actually happened, How can you speak so harsh of him? He saved your life.  
  
Nataku bounced his knee, considering the possibilities. Then, Nataku, Jones, Misty and Tanya hit it at the same time, "Could it be?" Misty asked.  
  
"It has to," Nataku responded.  
  
"What? What?" Kasumi and Ayane exchanged questioning glares, and Hayabusa waited for the group's guess.  
  
"No, it can't be!" Jones denied.  
  
"We can't jus' say that without proof!" Tanya said.  
  
Misty stood, poked Jones and Kasumi, "Then we get some," she said as she began to leave the building. Kasumi gave a glance at her back, then at Jones who was grinning evilly.  
  
"She's relentless, intelligent, and intuitive," Ayane said proudly of her student.  
  
Jones stood and began trotting after Misty, "I love her attitude, too!"  
  
Part 8  
  
The Operation  
  
  
  
Kasumi balanced herself perfectly in the rigging. She 'lay' in a contraption, at least that's what she called it, hanging two dozen feet over an all too familiar sight. Using a system of pulleys, and wires, Jones and Misty had allowed Kasumi the ultimate view of what was going on in the cavern.  
  
After following several disgruntled technicians into a cave, losing them somewhere inside, they decided that whatever Dynavein was doing ,was being done there. They cut a section of rock out, slab by slab, and lifted it away, until they met air.  
  
Setting up the system, and rigging up Kasumi, they lowered her down. The kunoichi saw more than she wished. It was a cleaner room than the one on the Isle, but it was identical. The terraced floor, full of computers and consoles, and one large monitor at the back of the room. This one was functioning.  
  
Colored bars ran across the screen faster than she could comprehend each. But they were easily identified as rungs on a ladder; a DNA strand.  
  
"Oh god!" She whispered.  
  
Jones leaned over the side, curious to what she was seeing. Kasumi jerked in her rigging, and glared up at Jones, who corrected his error. The shinobi continued to oversee the room.  
  
The room was holding close to thirty men and women., all sitting in a seat in front of one of the terrace consoles. A few were exiting and entering a room to the left, some with needles, others with vials, and other equipment.  
  
Kasumi tilted her head, wondering what they could be doing.  
  
A flash of light caught her eye, and Kasumi snapped her head around, sending herself into a small spin. Her eye widened, "No. it can't be! This can't be right!"  
  
"What?" Misty asked of the shinobi.  
  
Kasumi glared at the screen, and the full body shot of Jake Vance. He was comatose, slumped in a vertical tube, random wires attached to him. Vital statistics, physical capabilities, blood type, and eye color, all were displayed on one corner of the screen. She couldn't guess what was in the other corner, but it certainly was similar to Jake's biosigns.  
  
The security camera that she was looking through to see this image, panned. And Kasumi jerked her wire, ordering the pair up above to pull her up.  
  
Placing one hand on each side of the hole they'd made, she lifted herself up, some dust dislodged and fell, unnoticed by any of the trio of people.  
  
"What's up?' Jones asked. His face contorted to worry, and he lowered his head, staring into Kasumi's deep brown eyes.  
  
".It's the SIGMA."  
  
Misty's calm look warped into one of horror, "May God be merciful."  
  
"HEY! We have a security breach!"  
  
Jones, Misty and Kasumi glared down the hole, "Oh F***K!" Jones yelled, "RUN!"  
  
  
  
Part 9  
  
Vengeance Is Taken  
  
Sweet Tooth cut another one down. Their guns meant nothing to him. He was a super ninja. He dodged a volley and cut two more of the security guards down. His raven swooped in low, slashing at the eyes of Sweet Tooth's enemies. The unlikely pair of man and bird were causing havoc throughout the small complex.  
  
"KASUMI! GO! Get the others!" Jones Grabbed onto the opposite rope of the pulley system. Kasumi was launched up and out of her rigging. Jones flew down into the middle of the room, pulling his staff from his back with his free hand.  
  
The sound of the rope flying through the pulley system was aggravating to Jones's ears, and he gripped the rope tightly to avoid sliding down and getting rope burn.  
  
Kasumi and Misty dashed off into the night. They surely wouldn't be long. They were fast. Definitely faster than Jones.  
  
Sweet Tooth had dispatched the final guard and turned toward the stairs at the far end of he facility. He began to climb up. It was only one level to Robert's office. And Sweet Tooth would have his life again.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Come on! Something horrible's happening!" Misty called to their friends.  
  
Ayane, and Hayate jumped from their seats ready for battle. Hayabusa only watched them approach. Tanya was already running to them, "Whazzup?"  
  
"It's that assassin! Jones is fighting him inside the Dynavein complex!" Kasumi explained.  
  
Hayabusa was off like a shot, saying calmly, "Why didn't you say so?"  
  
Hayate and Ayane looked at each other, and followed in a full-out run. Tanya wasn't fast enough to keep pace with all the ninjas, so she slowed to a jog, conserving her strength for the battle to come.  
  
The time for redemption had come. The assassin would be killed, and Tisha avenged!  
  
* * * *  
  
Robert sat in his chair, sipping his coffee, So, the Angels are going to the World Series! Good job, Angels!  
  
The office was elaborate; a sound proof glass window behind him, a velvet couch, an intricate oak desk, and a polar bear rug. The fur was incredibly soft and warm to the bare feet, and Tomlinson thought it a nice addition. It would aid to his destruction.  
  
A shadow darted across the room, across the rug, silencing the steps of the intruder. Robert glared over his newspaper, searching for the shadow again. Nothing.  
  
My imagination is getting away from me. No more Aliens for a week, Robert! You're freaking out.  
  
A cold blade, a harsh voice, and a pressure on his neck was all he felt next, "Shhhh, death awaits you ,Tomlinson."  
  
Tomlinson froze, daring not to move, "Tau Ceti-"  
  
"Sweet Tooth! I am to be released. I have much to do before I die. You, don't." the ninja pressed the blade harder into the business man's neck. A drop of blood was drawn, but no more. Enough for pain.  
  
Tomlinson gritted his teeth against the pain. He hoped only that Sweet Tooth would kill him swiftly. He knew that living was now out of the question.  
  
"Stop right there, you piece of shit!"  
  
Sweet Tooth's concentration wasn't broken by the outburst, but raised his head to look at the survivor of his carnage. He tilted his head, "You?"  
  
Jones's hard glare didn't waver, and he pulled the staff out from behind his back, dramatically. He held it in front of him, splitting the vision of his face, in obvious challenge.  
  
"You can't hope to win," Sweet Tooth said, simply.  
  
"I don't need hope; I've got skill!"  
  
Sweet Tooth grinned, Finally, someone willing to face me, without striking from the shadows, or stealing from my life. This shall be interesting.  
  
He bent low, whispered into Tomlinson's ear, "You shall shed red tears," and he brought the blade up from his neck, performing a quick slash across the eyes.  
  
"AAAAARRGGHH!" The man grasped at what was left of his eyes, hunching over the desk. Sweet Tooth watched the blood trickle down Tomlinson's neck, before slowly cutting it. A low whistle was heard as the man gasped for air through the hole in his neck. Sweet Tooth relished in the man's death, but this Jones wasn't going to wait.  
  
Jones charged, slamming Sweet Tooth through the glass window. It shattered, and the pair fell onto the cushioning layer of corpses. Shards of glass lacerated the already beaten bodies and a piece slashed Sweet Tooth's cheek. Sweet Tooth lifted his head from the bodies and gore of his rampage, and slammed the hilt of his katana onto Jones's head.  
  
Jones rolled away from the oncoming attack, favoring his skull.  
  
The pair spun to a standing position, and faced off. Then, their battle was interrupted, and the only way of surviving, was a union.  
  
Part 10  
  
Final Redemption  
  
Jones took one look at Sweet Tooth then turned to face the new opponent. Sweet Tooth was captivated by it. Blades hung from its wrists, ankles, legs and head. A thick, powerful tail swung from left to right. A thin, powerfully built torso intimidated him, and the thin, tall head, lined with clear teeth fascinated him. And, of course, the color changing skin. It was a creature from a child's nightmares, and fine-tuned to a weapon. It was the hunter you are the hunted  
  
Jones panned to the left, and Sweet Tooth tactically chose to circle left. The stench of corpses and blood wasn't enough to cover up the things breath. A shot of white gas came from it's mouth at regular intervals, and it watched the pair's movements carefully. It seemed. calculating; smarter.  
  
"Sorry to crash the party!" Came a voice. Three heads; two human and one alien, turned to see the newcomers. Kasumi, Ayane, Hayate, Hayabusa, and Misty stood, weapons drawn. Ayane, Hayate, Kasumi and Hayabusa looked on with disbelief at what their sense told.  
  
"SIGMA!" Hayabusa cried, and charged.  
  
The super ninja feinted left, and slashed at the creature's gut. The creature wasn't there. Hayabusa grunted with coming aggravation, as he spun looking for his opponent. Sweet Tooth and Jones looked at each other, then returned their gazes to the floor, walls and roof.  
  
"Aaaaaaaahh!" Ayane was lifted off her feet, and launched ten feet up, into the hands of a half-invisible creature.  
  
"Not again!" Hayate yelled, as he reached out, trying to grab Ayane's out stretched hand.  
  
"DAMN!" Hayabusa said, as he began to run up the wall!  
  
Sweet Tooth got there first, katana drawn and his raven flying in, this ninja was much more dangerous. But, it was bait.  
  
With it's free tail, the SIGMA swept the air in front of it, slashing away both ninjas. or so it thought.  
  
Hayabusa was slashed badly, and he fell, unable to block the creature's attack. But, Sweet Tooth knew that there was nowhere this thing could run now. His raven dove in, a took the blow for him. Sweet Tooth took the only available second to watch his companion fall, then lashed out against the creature with a strong arm and renewed rage in his heart.  
  
He cut the creature's tail off.  
  
It fell, Ayane still in it's hands. Hayate dove forward, his old injury from the month's before, fighting it, beginning to ache again. Ayane tore free of the SIGMA's grasp and freefell right into Hayate's waiting grasp. He protectively held her, and began to slide away from the SIGMA.  
  
Sweet Tooth hit ground a few feet away from the wall of the Dynavein building, landing on a console. Sparks flew as his impact crushed some of the components inside, a large dent made in the metal casing of the computer.  
  
Jones, Kasumi and Misty were not idle, they had all been charging around, trying desperately to get a definite vantage point. Kasumi and Misty charged at the now vulnerable SIGMA.  
  
One. two. three.  
  
They missed, nearly hitting each other.  
  
"Jesus! Have you ever seen something that fast?!"  
  
"It's coming!" The SIGMA was now running at blinding speeds along the walls, circling its opponents. It felt, now. It felt pain, anger, frustration, and something strange to it, unknown. Fear.  
  
The SIGMA launched itself directly at Jones. He raised his staff, and fell onto his back. The creature landed squarely on the blunt staff. The dull weapon bit shallowly into the creature's flesh from sheer force of the blow. I growled at him, and Jones twisted the staff and shifted it, causing maximal pain and damage. A sickening gurgling sound came from the SIGMA's gut, as it roared only a few inches from his face.  
  
"F**k you!" Jones placed his feet on the things chest, and pushed off, sending the creature flying.  
  
The creature hit ground a few feet away, groaning and roaring in pain, as it separated into two pieces!  
  
"What the-!"  
  
A shape, its unseen entrance by the group because of their focus on the creature, was half-crouching on the other side of the room. It was Nataku. His blade dripped with the creature's blood, his eyes slits. The creature raised it's chest in one last chance at a breath, and slumped dead.  
  
Hayate and Ayane lay prone a several meters away, breathing hard from the absolute rush and intensity of the battle. The fight lasted twenty maybe thirty seconds. Kasumi and Misty were the only ones standing. A possibly lethal mistake.  
  
"Hey! Where is that assassin bastard?" Tanya asked as she finally reached the room. She'd missed the fight, DAMN!  
  
An iron grip latched onto Misty's throat and an arm grabbed Kasumi's waist with immense power. It lifted them from the floor, and only one man could save them.  
  
And he was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"AAAH! HELP!" Kasumi lashed out at the arm around her waist, her blade having no effect. Misty desperately tried to grab air.  
  
"EAT THIS!" A familiar voice, and the sound of gunfire was the next thing to greet their senses.  
  
Part 11  
  
The Final Battle  
  
The man stood, muscles taut, bracing for the small pounding of the rifle slamming into his shoulder. Some torn clothes from a defeated security guard thrown over him, the clothes suited him, but were baggy around the middle.  
  
It was Jake. It was if he had come back from the dead, How could this be? Kasumi asked herself, Jake's dead.  
  
Jake fired, dropping three rounds into the creature that was holding both Misty and Kasumi. The creature took them in it's broad snout.  
  
If SIGMA was from a nightmare, this was from a B-Horror movie. Jake examined it closely down the barrel of the M-4 in his hands. The creature must have been only 6 feet long, but almost 5 feet wide at the middle, with two great arms, and it must've weighed at least 600 kilos. The Grendel released the two women to clutch at it's face.  
  
Misty and Kasumi fell to the ground, Misty dazed from her lack of oxygen. Kasumi managed to easily get free and stare right into her opponents flailing tail. She ducked, feeling the whiz of the air flying over her face. Her red hair shown like fire as it was blown back in the resulting wind.  
  
A broad face, with almost a dog-like mouth, the creature reared back, favoring it's shattered left eye. It's tail was the most fascinating. A series of spikes jutted out of the creature's far end of the tail. The rose and sank into the tail with the thing's breathing. A hard carapace protected it's back and it's mouth was filled with sharp, razor-edged teeth. A scaly brown mottled skin covering it's body and a voracious looking pair of eyes glaring down at them, this creature was a fearsome opponent, without it even strutting it's stuff.  
  
"What the ****!? What is that?" Tanya yelled, flipping her staff open and readying herself for battle.  
  
It raised one foot. It wasn't large, but the contracting muscles in it showed that it had more power packed into it than an elephant stampede.  
  
"MISTY!" Jones dove forward. He dropped his staff, to give himself more maneuvering room, and dove. He hit Misty square in the chest. She had no time to be embarrassed, and neither did Jones, as the foot came down, clipping Jones's leg.  
  
He rolled away from Misty, narrowly avoiding his leg getting crushed. A sharp pain gripped him as his leg began to burn with pain. He'd moved too late. He quickly examined his wounded leg. He'd dislocated a kneecap.  
  
Tanya leaped forward, staff aiming for the eyes. She was swatted away, the blow clearing the air in front of it.  
  
"GRENDEL!" Jake shouted, but the name was drowned out by the thing's roar.  
  
"What?" Nataku yelled. and never saw the blow coming.  
  
It came on, faster than the SIGMA, faster than a ninja, and faster than a bullet. It slammed into him. He could feel it's teeth bite into him, and an uncanny warmth coming from the beast. It sank it's teeth viciously into his gut, biting hard, crushing flesh, bone and his lungs. He tried to sunk in breath, but found none. He gasped, and clawed at the face of the creature.  
  
"NO!" Tanya rose, and began to charge at the creature that was holding her comrade. She swung at it with the staff, but to no avail, "AAAAARRRGGHH!"  
  
She slammed the crimson Bo staff into the things side, twin prongs forcing out of the staff, electric current flowing through them. The result was almost blinding. With lightening speed, the creature dropped Nataku and turned to face this new threat. And with faster than visible speed, the Grendel snapped the staff in two. The energy blast actually sent both Tanya and the Grendel flying.  
  
The Grendel hit ground, and steadied itself, uninjured. Tanya wasn't moving.  
  
Jones could only watch the carnage. Two crippled or dead and it wasn't even phased.  
  
Kasumi and Ayane leaped forward, their quick, crippling attacks slashing into the creature's armored hide. No effect. Kasumi landed on it's back, an intense heat greeting her as her feet contacted it's skin. She stabbed straight down.  
  
A deafening roar met her, as her thin blade cut through the scales of it's carapace. It spun, with such surprising and sudden speed that both Ayane and Kasumi were thrown clear, Kasumi's blade still sticking in the creature's back.  
  
Misty was up, and started throwing shuriken's trying to give both Hayate and Hayabusa a chance to get into the fight.  
  
"NO, NO, STOP!" Jake cried, as he began to fire non stop at the creature's head. Sparks of ricocheting bullets flashed off it's armored face. But it was too late. It charged at Misty.  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!" Jones stretched his arm out, then brought it down on his wounded knee.  
  
CRAAAACK!! The kneecap popped back into place. "AAAAARRGHH!" He had one, maybe two seconds.  
  
Getting his good leg beneath him, he shoved off, again aiming to knock the ninja clear. She was fast, alright, and was already moving, but the Grendel; was faster. It came hard and fast. But Jones got their first.  
  
Hitting her in the side, she was clear; he wasn't.  
  
It caught him, lifting him up, and throwing him. Jones flew, flipping  
  
through the air multiple times before Hayabusa, in all his glory, caught him, mid-air. The Grendel was waiting at their landing spot before Hayabusa had looked down.  
  
Hayabusa landed, right on top of it. Two legs, one caught in it's mouth. Doing a half-kart wheel, Hayabusa pulled it out and rolled clear before the creature could bite down on it.  
  
Hayate launched himself forward, aiming a decisive kick for the head. The Grendel's head snapped in one direction, it's tail, snapping another. The blunt side of it, connected with his gut. It threw him clear across the terraced room. A visible dent was made in the granite walls.  
  
Jones favored his stressed knee, rolling back and forth. He closed his eyes, a reflex caused by the pain. When he looked again, it was leering at him. It's face maybe half a foot from his.  
  
Jones kicked up with his good leg. The head moved away for but a moment, the moment which saved his life. He crawled away, but felt it grasp his good leg. He grabbed onto a computer and held on for dear life.  
  
Then He came.  
  
Screaming a battle cry, and sword in hand, Sweet Tooth landed on the creature's outstretched arm. The sword came forward slashing into and through the Grendel's hard armored arm. He cut deep. It roared and released Jones, who eagerly took shelter behind the console.  
  
Sweet Tooth flipped off the wounded arm, and landed on it's back. An inferno underneath his feet, he could feel his feet sweat at the very proximity. He slashed down at it's neck, the blade bit deep again, and blood oozed from the wound.  
  
A meek groan and grunt was exhibited from the Grendel, as it raises it's tail, aiming for the unsuspecting Sweet Tooth's back.  
  
It struck fast, hard, and fatal.  
  
  
  
  
  
(credit for the Grendel given to Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes' novel, The Legacy of Heorot. Read it! It's a good book!)  
  
  
  
Part 12  
  
Goodbyes [pic]  
  
  
  
"We are gathered here today to pay our last respects to our honored dead. Those who have fallen to protect that which we old dear. We mourn their loss and vow that they will not die in vain. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Amen."  
  
Misty listened to the funeral with a tear and a friend. Jones stood with a crutch under one arm and glared at the dozens of caskets that lay before them. Most died fighting Sweet Tooth, yet only a few were being given the honorary service today. Nataku & Tanya, had died protecting their friends and each other. They would never again see the light of day or the moon at night. A cairn was placed for Sweet Tooth, where he lay dead, killed by the Grendel. Even for his past transgressions, the United States of America had awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor for going beyond the call of a man's duty in life to save others, to the point of self-sacrifice against the Grendel to save many lives.  
  
Yet, strange enough, no body had been found, yet much blood; his blood had been found near the Grendel's corpse. Jones and Misty had smiled at this news. They were ironic smiles, and they knew much more than they had initially about that cold super ninja. It mustn't have been easy, living six months in a test tube. They pitied him. They knew he deserved better than death, and that Sweet Tooth knew this, also. He had a score to settle.  
  
The funeral began to break up. As people left for their cars or bikes, but yet, some still remained, to pay a final respect. Hayabusa, Kasumi, Hayate, Ayane, Misty and Jones continued to look over the graves. Not all of the group had the same agenda, or the same personality, or even were friends, but the battles, and the dead pair that lay before them, had brought them all together for one conquest and one union. Misty shed one tear for the battles, and the wet droplet fell onto Nataku's grave, splashing lightly on the dirt.  
  
Jones felt droplets of rain begin to fall on his head then, and he touched Misty's shoulder.  
  
The DOA competitors walked past the graves saying goodbye to comrades, friends and friendly rivals as they left for their transportation away from the cemetery. But Misty and Jones remained, the pair beginning to be soaked in the down pour. Misty turned toward Jones, and suddenly realized the intimacy of their situation. He turned his head just a little, and brushed her lips with is own. A fire seemed it light inside of her at that.  
  
She pressed her lips on his, long and hard, relishing in the warmth. Long moments passed and more passed between them than words can say. When they finally parted, "Misty, I love you."  
  
Her heart lifted up on wings of joy at those words, and she embraced him, "But It's time to go home," he said.  
  
* * *  
  
From a tree, a few hundred meters away, someone else was saying goodbye to some of the best fighters he'd ever known. Sweet Tooth sat in the highest branches. He didn't cry or even frown. No emotion what so ever, he just said, "Goodbye."  
  
  
  
The Grendel... the ultimate soldier, and the ultimate weapon. Hmmm...  
  
The saga is only beginning, it seems.. 


	3. Event Horizon

Disclaimer: This was missing in chapter 1, and I'm sorry about that. I don't own any characters or creatures in this story, besides Tisha, Jake, Cadman, Nataku, Misty, All of Dynavein, Sweet Tooth, Rogue Shinobi, Jones, And The SIGMA, . All other things belong to Tecmo Inc, but the Grendel creature in this is credited to Jerry Pournelle, Steven Barnes, and Larry Niven's novel The Legacy of Heorot.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Episode 3  
  
Event Horizon  
  
Part 1  
  
Remembrance  
  
Garret gazed at what was NEO GENESIS. It was a reincarnation of Sigma, the dreaded alien warrior that had wreaked havoc on the Dead Or Alive competitors and killed many. A silvery gray creature, it still resembled a creature of mass destruction. Garret's left hand, absent-mindedly, grazed the massive scar left by his first encounter with that creature. A deep, ugly scar across his gut and a nasty set of rounded disfigurements across his left eye and cheek. It had mutilated him, and a passing group of security guards had rescued him. Now, he thought, I will master it. "Sir, we have encountered a difficulty." Garret turned to face his head scientist, Adrik Pyotr, "What's wrong Adrik? A technician screw up again and destroy the system?" Adrik didn't take the friendly joke well, and remained stone-faced, "De DNA has been corrupted. It oxides, destroying some of chemicals. We managed save most of it-" "Most doesn't help, Adrik! I need it all!" The Russian bio-chemist shivered at Garret's cold words. Adrik knew his commander's secret; what happened to him. He'd been to Hell and back, and Adrik respected that. Garret sighed, ".What have we lost?" Adrik pulled a clipboard from a pocket in his white overcoat, and examined it, "we lost another 13% of the DNA. We'll just need to substitute more of Subject Beta's DNA into it." Garret despised the term. Jake had escaped, and destroyed his guardian creature, the Grendel. And it was a child! The Grendel didn't deserve death at its tender age. It had the intelligence of a baby gorilla. It did what it was told to do, nothing more. That bastard would pay! Not just for the Grendel's death, but for his injuries and Marisa! Yes, he would pay! "Proceed. Alert me when the cloning is completed. I wish to see the creature after." Adrik frowned, his lips pushed out, showing a dubious expression, "Are you sure that is wise?" "I am certain, Adrik." Adrik lowered his head, in submission to his commander's orders, yet something gnawed at his sub-concious. He couldn't quite place it, but it seemed dangerous to put Garret in that situation. "Adrik," Garret raised the Russian's chin with that word, "We've been through a lot. I won't forget what you did for me." Adrik shifted, bouncing from one leg to another, suddenly aware of his own discomfort. Damn! He'd finally gotten used to it, "It hurt anymore?" Garret asked. "No, just," he paused, grunting over his obvious soreness, "it feels strange." Garret sighed, and stood from his desk, rounding the bend, he placed his hands on Adrik's shoulders, "I have to thank you again. You saved my life." "Just my duty, sir." "Oh, Adrik! You were the best man at my wedding in '94, for God's sake! Call me Garret." "Whatever you, say, sir." Garret smiled and walked back to his seat, Adrik never ceases to amaze me with his loyalty. "Dismissed, Adrik. Proceed with NEO GENESIS." Adrik nodded and turned toward the door which opened automatically, the above head camera detecting his motion. When Adrik had finally left, Garret leaned back in his chair and pondered his thoughts. NEO GENESIS was being altered for his revenge, but was it the smart thing to do. The new Grendel in position, this one an adult to be sure no one got in, this creature had ransacked a whole island before, and a lethal assassin created by Dynavein already out of control, was this the most profound, and intelligent thing to do? No, it was wrong to just let Jake get away unpunished for what he'd done! He let him and Bruce for dead, abandoned them. He let Marisa fall to it, and he got off scot free? No. He and his crazed friends must pay for their reign of terror.  
  
Part 2  
  
Encounters  
  
Sweet Tooth rolled, pulling his katana up, deflecting his enemy's double hack. The twin blades gleamed in the sunlight, and Sweet Tooth squinted, trying to see the face under the assailants hood. A sweeping kick, low, knocking his opponent down, gave Sweet Tooth the split second he needed to get a few feet of breathing room. This was going on too long, he, a super ninja, was tiring, and this man hadn't even broke into any heavy breathing. Nto a drop of sweat, or blood had fallen, and Sweet Tooth, for the first time, felt the grip of sheer terror. The fear of death. A blood-crimson robe flew through the air, as the assailant actually spun on angle, coming up to his feet from his back. "Who are you?" Sweet Tooth demanded, readying himself for another storm of blades. "Me? I'm just a concerned citizen, helping to clean up our fair world! Now, feel steel!" The assailant feinted to the left, and ran to the right, bringing in a low slash at Sweet Tooth's vulnerable stomach. A quick back step saved Sweet Tooth's intestines from daylight, and his gut from being seared by cold metal. Second, came a high slash at the side of Sweet Tooth's head. With no time to dodge, Sweet Tooth raised his own blade up, repelling the blow. Forced to back pedal again, Sweet Tooth finally caught a glance at what was under that hood. A man with sharp features, flowing black and sliver hair, and deadly green eyes stabbed out at him from the darkness. "Rogue Shinobi? No! You're dead!"  
  
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"Faster, Cadman! You can do better than this!" The cold, feminine voice cut through Cadman's heart like a heated spear. He dared to challenge her, if only to hear that voice. Christie sunk low in her posture, and charged at her friend and opponent, all at once. Cadman side stepped, and rolled, missing Christie's extended kicking leg by a millimeter. He continued the roll, furthering himself from Christie's deadly kicks. He felt pressure to his left; the wall of the room. Sparing a glance left, he saw Christie charging at him, not an emotion showing on her face. The assassin loved the challenge of fighting Cadman, if only to sharpen her own skills and pass the time. Seeing her low charge, and the opportunity, Cadman placed his left foot high on the wall, raised his right, so he was standing on the wall for brief moment. Before gravity could work it's magic, he pressed off and flipped over Christie's head. She ducked, placed her hands on the ground ,and kicked up, hitting nothing but air. Cadman felt the pressure of the ground, underneath his feet moments later. Kicking backwards, if only to confuse her, the SAS agent ran forward, at the opposite wall. Jumping up, placing his feet on that wall, he launched himself, horizontally at Christie's defenseless back, fists forward. She reached back, grabbed onto his hands, and flipped him over her head, so that he landed, in a sitting position, his back to her. The situation flipped she planted her foot on his neck, made a slight motion and said, "Kill!" Cadman groaned in defeat, as he slowly rose, favoring his protesting muscles and ligaments. The battle hadn't been easy, and he'd still lost; dead even. "The saying is true, Cadman," Christie said, "You only get better with age!" A slight chuckle graced him, as he remembered the days. Was it only two years ago? When he met her? And. Christie frowned at the memories that brought back, "It's over. You can't change it." "I need to be getting home," he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and suddenly noticed exactly how. wet, from sweat she'd gotten. He shook his head, and turned away, grabbing a towel. It was cold, you can't change the past, Cadman. Accept it, for once, eh? He thought to himself. "Good luck with the tournament!" Cadman called over his shoulder, as he left the training room. Many others in the room, and he walked past another pair who were sparring, as he left, still blotting his face, trying to get rid of hard recollections.  
  
"Faster, Misty!" Jones swept the staff up, blocking as many of Misty punches as he could. Her objective; to land a hit. If she could get past a weapon she should be able to continue in the tournament. Tina would be no easy challenge. A pair of low punches, a high kick, and an impressive spin punch/kick she learned from Ayane; all blocked successfully. "Ergh!" Misty moaned as she threw a final punch, her strength waning. It was a trick; Jones would push it aside, throwing the blow to his left, and his defense that way. A successful half spin could then land an elbow into his side. Her strategy worked, and so did the move. "Ouch! Better!" "Are you my boyfriend or a personal trainer?" Misty asked. Jones grinned, mischievously, "Maybe both!" She playfully lobbed at cold towel at him, and got one for herself. Wrapping it around her neck, she instantly felt the blazing stream of heat leave her body. The cold was a welcome addition to her heated body, the numbing having a therapeutic effect. She still had nightmares. Glancing at her teacher, Ayane, she suddenly felt a wave of sympathy for the cold leader of the ninja clan Hajinmon. She had had a close encounter with SIGMA twice, and Misty didn't want to have it the first time. Ayane, her quick, lethal moves doing nothing, he once ultra- powerful skill suddenly nil, and unable to assist her in her time of need. It was. frightening. And, Misty thought, hat things were getting bad to worse, as she scanned the room, and spotted the sudden arrival of a newcomer. "This is a private training room. Ya want an autograph, there's a session at five, after the third match every day," Jones said, standing in intruder's way. Jones was thrown aside like so many strands of hay. And it was far from over. A flash of crimson, and blue, and the battle ended before it began.  
  
  
  
Part 3  
  
Captive  
  
Jake blinked, his vision smudged, unclear. The ice cold feel of liquid around him, helped to numb his body. It was tube; an all too familiar tube. It was almost like a big test tube. It was the tube he'd seen SIGMA in, almost six years ago. Jake, suddenly, emptied his lungs into the liquid, panicking. He threw his fists against the sides of the plexi-glass cylinder. He pounded, as fast as his body could move. He held his breath, trying to not breath in the ominous green liquid. He finally caved, the liquid plunging into his lungs, and all was dark. When he awoke again, he found that he was able to breath, in the liquid. It was pumped heavy with oxygen. He felt of sense of panic flow through him. He had no idea where he was, yet he could see thing's remarkably clearly. The panic, quelled by rising questions, faded from his mind, and Jake cocked his head, trying to gather in what was around him. The liquid made things outside the tube difficult to see, because of the light refraction, but he could get a general idea. There were people, men and women. All seemed to be watching him. There were computers, and consoles, not terraced like he remembered the place to have been, though. A dream? He thought. He absentmindedly scratched the back of his head, and felt the discomfort suddenly flow into his lungs again. He'd done this before, so he knew the technology behind it. A period of adjustment, and then you're fine. However, if you panic during the adjustment, you could die. They must've pumped a sleep toxin into the water to calm me down. "Welcome, Jake. Welcome to vengeance." Jake recognized that voice, and his skin turned a pale green next to the liquid, "No. How? It's not possible."  
  
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Cold. they were so cold. They burned her skin, the metal rings clanging against each other as Misty yanked on the chains, franticly trying to get loose. Taking a quick glance around, she saw them all. They were all there; Jones, Kasumi, Ayane, Hayate, Hayabusa, herself, and hapless Christie, who got caught in the mess. There were two empty sets of chains, with two names scribbled, one each. One said Nataku. Misty didn't have to read the other to know who would've been in it, if they hadn't died. "Okay, children! Time to face what you are." Misty turned her head back, trying to discern the source of the large voice, "Who are you?" Misty's head snapped around, the metal chains making a strange, ghostly sound. She felt shivers go up her spine and arms as a door opened, the familiar creaking of an old, un-oiled wooden door screeching it's wails of torment as the hinges attempted to open the door with ease, failing. In the doorway stood a man. He was neither tall, nor short, clad in a strange leather armor, covering his torso. The rest was a tunic, and baggy pants. He seemed to be almost Renaissance, except for the simple aura of him. A deep scar was laid across his left eye, reducing the eye to less than useless. "Misty, I presume?" All the people turned the heads toward him, querying gazes filling their faces and eyes. All except Jones. He struggled, suddenly, against his restraints, attempting to get between the newcomer and Misty. The newcomer bowed, "Greetings, I am Garrett." Hayate caught onto it first, "You know Jake, from Elijah Isle." Garrett's head swerved, as if on a loose spigot, turning sharply toward the super ninja, ".Yes, I knew him. He. was a dangerous man to know at that crucial time." "Why?" Jones asked, leaning outward, at the end of the chains. Garrett marched to Jones, and stood just outside Jones's reach, " 'Why?' He abandoned dozens for dead, and left more to die, that's why! He killed me on that island. Now, he will pay." Garrett snapped his fingers, his eyes still not leaving Jones, "Begin the show," he said, a malicious grin on his face. The man stepped away, and they all watched as the wall directly in front of them opened up, revealing a kind of arena. Jake lay in the center, standing half-bowed, stumbling, just where he stood, and his right hand was raised, as if to ward off a blow, or screen his eyes from a bright light. The room in which Jake sat was large, an oval circle almost half the size of a football field. Almost ramp like walls kept those inside from getting out, and glass separated the spectator slots from the fighters. Armed gunmen stood in posts around the arena, guns at sides, and ready. Kasumi and Hayabusa put two and two together at the same time, "Don't do it Garret! He doesn't deserve death!" Hayabusa yelled. "Doesn't he?!" Garrett asked, "Did Marisa?" "Did Tisha?" Kasumi shot back. Garrett glared hard at Kasumi, soaking that lower verbal punch in, "How many have to die to let you know that he's the problem behind all of our problems?" Garrett whispered to Kasumi, just loud enough for Misty to hear, "He. is the one who brought it all. If only he could have stayed on the island, maybe Marisa. maybe." Garrett paused, and Jones could swear that the sparkle on Garrett's face were tears, He loved her. Jake didn't tell us that. Jones, and Misty watched helplessly as Jake stood slowly, suddenly looking straight at the reincarnation of an evil creature; SIGMA. But, something was wrong. Jake seemed more entranced with it. And, even standing at it's full glory, it didn't seem right, not to Ayane. She'd been captured by it twice, and she'd seen it in it's full glory. This certainly wasn't it. Something was wrong with it. "Tisha was the first attempt at Genetic Enhancement by Dynavein. It failed, and she escaped," Garrett said in a monotone. "What?" Was the general response throughout the group. "After her escape, Tomlinson tried to eliminate this security threat." Misty sank in her chains, "Drawing us all into the mix." Garrett smiled absently, "Jake is now the continuation of that project. It is his punishment; to live with is guilt and then die at my hands." He sharply waved his hand in front of the glass, and Misty felt the iron chains fall from her wrists and ankles, "I have no quarrel with the Dead or Alive fighters. My vendetta is with Jake. Leave us in peace." Ayane started to leave, but stopped, suddenly tense. Her eyes darted around the room. Misty noticed Kasumi in a similar stature, however, she hadn't moved. Misty scanned the room, and noticed the same thing they had. "We're. not alone." The window crashed, a lone figure's body hitting Garrett with full force, "Why was I invited to this party?" "Cadman!" Christie yelled, in more of surprise than relief. She followed the pair with a graceful jump to the arena floor, where the two now lay, sprawled. None noticed the true reason for Ayane's sudden worry, now caught up in the action. A shapeless form, moved near the walls. It cursed ,threw away it's robe, revealing it's true face. And it struck, with devastating skill. One thing stopped it. Twin blades met a katana, flying through the air toward the arena as well. Both wielders of the weapons, landed gracefully and soundlessly, on the other side of the arena from the others. "Toshi." Said the crimson caped sudden defender. "Rogue," The assailant said, pulling back, "All I want is Garrett. He's caused too much trouble for us all." "You want him? Or a fight?" Rogue Shinobi asked. "Very well, Rogue," Toshi said, formally bowing to the powerful opponent, "I shall not lose. Fight me, if you dare!"  
  
  
  
Part 4  
  
Understanding  
  
The battle raged around Jake; guns firing, swords clashing, kicks landing and punching being blocked created a maelstrom of blood, sweat and tears. And he was oblivious. with good reason! The creature stared at him, and Jake stared right back, unmoving. He instinctively began backing away, but it didn't advance. Jake suddenly knew why. This. thing was different. It's head was shorter and fatter, it's mouth even, showing a pair of blue lips, and short, dull teeth. It's eyes were a cold, sky blue; color of Robins' eggs, Jake thought, remembering that beautiful color. A pair of pupils, sheer, black holes, sat in those pure blue eyes. Many of it's aspects remained; long, spiked tail, clawed hands, and color- shifting skin. But, there was a strange 'manner' to it, that was different. It sat, hunched, and watched him, it's head cocked to one side, examining him, and his movements. It's almost like a child! Jake thought. He slowly rose, still ignorant of the battle around him. His hand brushed it's cheek, and he could swear. it purred.  
  
Cadman braced himself, and threw his body into Garrett's charging form. The glitter of a small blade in his hand, Garrett, propelled himself directly at his attacker. Cadman's blow hit low, his force sending both him and Garrett into the wall. The SAS operative took a chance, and glanced around him. He would receive no help from his Dead Or Alive friends. They had their hands full dodging bullets. And who were the two ninja guys? He wondered. But he had no time to formulate a guess, as Garrett pressed his own attack. The knife came up, and Cadman was forced to the ground, the knife landing neatly to the left of his head. Cadman lashed out, kneeing Garrett in the gut, forcing the man off of him. Wind brushed his face, and a snap to his left, near his chest, made him flinch. They were shooting at him. He got up, crouched, and ran, in irregular patterns, trying to get the shooter, to pick another, easier target. The strategy was working.  
  
Misty kicked up, towards a gunmen's head. A perfect blow, right under the chin. The shooter slumped, either unconscious or dead. At this point, she didn't care. She grabbed the man's falling body, and pushed it forward, using it as a body shield from gun fire. Bullets punched into the man's chest. If he wasn't dead before, he was now. She shot a glance at her objective; Jones. He was trapped, punching out any gunmen who dare get too close, and hiding from the others. He wouldn't last. Not much longer, and Misty knew it. He was no martial artist. She pushed the body once more, sending the man into a group of machine gunners. The men fell under the weight of discharged bullets, and mutilated flesh.She charged straight forward, and stopped, looking at the sheer pain in front of her. "NOOOOO!"  
  
Toshi, deflected his rival's first sword, and performed a perfect split, to avoid a second blow, to his neck. Bringing one foot around, the ninja attempted to knock Rogue down. Rogue, vaulted over the leg, and artfully, pulled one sword under each arm, and thrust back. The sound of tearing cloth and the feel of cold steel graced Toshi's senses. A burning sensation in his arm. But pain, could be subdued. Placing the pain in the back of his mind, the deep arm wound was no longer a factor, but the blood loss would be. The battle continued between the pair of ninjas. Every blow was countered and the stray bullet or two made things interesting. Random sparks from lucky bullet blocks made it a scene from an action film, but to Rogue and Toshi it was far from that. It was personal. "You. how do I know you?" Toshi asked. "HAHAHAHA! Me? I cleaned up a mess! A little o' this," CLANG! Their swords met! "a little o' that, and BOOM!" A scissor move from Rogue sent Toshi's sword flying, "The enemy is in the palm of your hand. What Rogue didn't see, was that Toshi took measures to be sure he didn't lose his weapon for long. Toshi gripped what seemed to be dead air, but he knew that he was gripping a small, tough, fishing line. Invisible to the careless eye, unless you're looking for it, and Rogue, wasn't looking for it. The string connected to the hilt of Toshi's customized katana. All he needed was a good angle, and velocity, and Rogue was his for the taking. Rogue began to gloat, as he stepped right into Toshi's needed vector. He held forth a medallion; a simple rounded piece of metal, with a familiar symbol. Toshi grasped his chest, where an identical one hung. The key to the past, and the door to his future. A flash; and he remembered it all. well, most of it. But, it was far too enough for him. The darkness enveloping his steps, and rivers of blood flowing down the hill. And all he could do, was follow the blood. "You. YOU BASTARD!" Toshi flisked his wrist. The katana gleamed a sliver hue as it soared through the air. Caught up in his own anger, Toshi couldn't think straight. Aim true and strength overpowering, the blade sung through the air, leaving a remarkable tone in the reverberating air. Rogue ducked, so that his left hand and sword touched the ground. His right came up, and sent the incoming katana straight up. Into Jones's chest. The man glared down at the curved blade now sticking out of his chest. A cry from Misty sent the arena into silence. Jones brought his hand down, felt the wound with his right hand. Examining the blood on his hand, he looked at it with almost misunderstanding. He raised his gaze toward Misty, who stood, quivering a feet meters away, dead riflemen at her feet. A single tear flew down her face as she knew Jones's deadly peril, from which their was no escape. Jones didn't cry, shout, or even groan in pain; he just stood for a moment, staring at the intricate Katana now sheathed in his blood and gore. He then, toppled, falling forward into the arena, itself. Rogue smiled, relishing in the kill, breathing in the dank air, and smelling the depth of Jones's fear, and desperation. And Toshi could only watch, the blood flow. And continue the battle. Toshi flung the blade from Jones's chest, sending the hapless man to his death at the floor. The katana, blood-drenched, reaching Toshi's hand, cut through the air, aiming for Rogue's neck. When suddenly, he wasn't there, "We shall meet again Toshi. But, now I see that this party is winding down. Until we meet again, fool!" And with a maniacal laugh, Rogue was gone. "Misty! Come on!" Ayane kicked a gunmen in the chest, grabbed an oblivious Misty by the wrist, and pulled her along. Misty could only watch Jones lay there, dying. And. she wasn't sure what to feel; Sadness? Fear? Maybe even remorse. But. she just didn't know.  
  
  
  
Part 5  
  
Uninvited Guests  
  
Jake stood in the center of the Holiday Inn room that he'd rented. Everyone was there, even a now secluded Misty. Jake couldn't repair the damage Dynavein had done to her, but he'd sworn, on Marisa's grave, to bring it down. And now was the time. A clueless Cadman and Christie sat in one corner of the room, waiting for explanations. Christie knew about Dynavein, sure. She'd been on Elijah Isle. She'd hunted that. thing, with Lei-Fang. The thrill of it had been almost too much for her; almost. "Alright. You probably all want to know why I asked you here," Jake said, "It's about Dynavein." "We know why. But what about?" Hayate asked. Cadman leaned forward in his seat, and fingered the day old beard he'd grown. The sound of his fingers going over the whiskers sent shiver down his spine. Same effect as finger nails on a blackboard, He thought. "Dynavein has caused. havoc over the past few months-" "No shit!" Misty interjected, suddenly snapping her silence. The darkest portions of her mind awoke in anger. Anger at herself, anger at Dynavein, even anger at Jones. She didn't care. She was flat-out pissed off. Jake's eyes went to slits, dangerously. His glare was cold enough to freeze the sun, and Misty sat in her corner, fuming. "I propose that we shut it down. Permanently." "But how?" Hayabusa asked. Cadman leaned over to his left just a little, whispering, "What's with this big Jake guy?" Cadman asked Christie. The assassin summarized briefly, the events of Elijah Isle, and what she knew of the events prior to the tournament got into full swing. Cadman wasn't stunned. He was flat out terrified by what she told him. Aliens? Grendels? Cloning? But- why? Meanwhile, Jake had been talking, ". after that's done, my men and I will capture Garrett and key personal and evacuate to the base in the Mojave Desert. I expect you all to meet us there?" "Why the Mojave?" Cadman asked. Jake turned to the SAS operative, "There's an old bunker there. If Dynavein soldiers give pursuit, it's much easier to defend. The place is also riddled with trenches, making people difficult to find in them. A perfect defensive position. And a horrible choice! They can hit us from any direction in the trenches! But. you got a better one? Cadman asked himself, Didn't think so.  
  
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Jake arrived on time. The guards had just left, and Cadman was getting impatient. The gravel roof was easy to move on with no one to detect them. Jake, and few of his friends now stood on the roof. Cadman was crouched on the roof, watching the group get into position. Jake scaled the walls to the roof, Kasumi, Ayane and Misty were going in windows, and Hayate and Hayabusa were going right in the front door, looking completely normal. Well, sort of. "Check, one, two, three. can you here me, Hayabusa?" Jake asked, into his radio headset that he'd 'borrowed' from his DELTA base. Everyone in the group had them. Jake wiped his forehead of sweat as he waited for Ryu to respond. "How does this work?. Oh, Yeah, I hear you." Cadman smiled. "Alright, Jake, let's do it. Quick and simple," Cadman said. Jake nodded, "Code: Kunoichi. Begin operation." The few DELTAs who Jake had gotten began to go for the stairwell. Cadman took his pistols, knives and sword, and followed them. The men all had rifles, and a pair of extra cartridges of 5.56 ammunition if things got ugly. Only a few flights down, they found that the stairs ended in a large complex. The min lab. It was filled with tables, chairs and lab equipment. "Ya think someone who clones would be more organized!" "Shaddap, Greg!" Jake said. They fanned out across the room and searched for the control cards that would open key doors in the facility. The placed was messed up and there were numerous paths through it, and some overturned tables. No, Cadman thought, One large path going in a pattern. Cadman and Jake found an open door to the left of the place. The room inside was an office; Garrett's office. Cadman looked at Jake, and then at the enormous amount of blood turning the tan carpet a brilliant bronze. "Oh god!" Jake ran inside, and lifted the man's head back. A bright line was drawn across Garrett's neck, his face pale and eyes lifeless. Cadman pressed his back to one wall, then touched his ear, triggering the headset, "Ryu, Kasumi, back off. Garrett's dead. The Dynavein building's trashed, there's nothing left here." "We copy, heading for our exits." "Cadman," Cadman turned to Jake, who was pulling the dead corpse from the chair at his desk, "I can't leave him here." Cadman looked questioningly at Jake. Jake said, "I abandoned him once. I won't do it again." Cadman stared, knowingly at Jake, then gave a curt nod, and went to help with the body. "Something's here," Kasumi said. Jake and Cadman nearly dropped the body, "Ya got him?" Cadman asked, and Jake nodded. Cadman pulled his pistols and dropped into a combat stance, ready for an attack from any side. This was one hard trained warrior that wouldn't be ensnared in a trap so easy. He moved into the main room, "Talk to me, Kas!" "It's heading your way, fast. I can't catch it." Cadman blew air out of his mouth, giving a moment of static, "By all means, don't! Just get out of here! GET OUT!" "What the-!" The man never got another word out. IT got him. Cadman stood and glared at it. It must've been 13 feet long, and the exact description of a Grendel that Jake had given. "Doesn't that thing ever DIE?! HE rounds, Open fire!" Jake yelled, as he slammed the High Explosive cartridge into his rifle and aimed at it. But it was too fast for him to hope to catch it. "Cadman!"  
  
"Go, Ryu, and don't make me tell ya twice," BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!  
  
"CADMAN!" Ryu yelled into his microphone, went it suddenly went dead. He glared up at Hayate, then at the charges they'd placed on the building wall, next to several carts of gasoline. "Go, Hayate. I'll catch up with you!" "I don't think so. Keep the radio transmitter, and stay here. I'll go get Cadman out. Give me five minutes." "You know I'm faster, Hayate-san." There was a moment of silence as Hayate considered his options. HE raised his head, and said, "Good luck, and Godspeed."  
  
  
  
Part 6  
  
Strategic Retreat  
  
"Jake, run! GO!" Cadman lifted his Colt M1911A1 pistols, aimed for the head of the Grendel, as he backpedaled toward the exit. The creature was almost on him. And in half a second it would be. Damn, it was fast. A black blur and it was right there, in his face, it's fangs gleaming in the dim lighting of the lab. Cadman fired, the small .45 ACP ammo sending his hands flying back as the bullets left the antechamber that was the pistols' barrel. The bullets were enough. The Grendel slowed down, grunting through the force of the blows. Cadman hadn't even made a step backwards. This time, he turned and ran up the steps, holding his guns behind him, firing blindly, as he retreated. The roof was three flights up, and the others had a head start. And it was so fast! A few lucky shots hit the Grendel, but not enough. It got his leg. Cadman's legs lit up in a painful, searing fire. It jerked as the Grendel dragged him back down the stairs. "CADMAN!" Jake called, still holding Garrett's corpse. "GO you mother fu- AAARRGGH!" Cadman broke off mid-sentence as the Grendel lashed him with it's tail spines, sinking their deadly hooks into his leg. With that tool, it dragged him off, out of Jake's sight. "EERRRRGGHH"' A shapeless form launched itself, crying a challenge toward the Grendel. Who was it? No. it couldn't be. Ryu thought from the shadows, SWEET TOOTH! The super ninja came forward and delivered a devastating kick to the Grendel's head. It flew. Literally, flew, it's talon-like tail spikes dislodging from Cadman mid flight. Cadman crawled away, favoring his bleeding thigh. The black cloth of his baggy pant leg darkened even further with the red blood staining it. Ryu made his move, pulling katana from his waist, and charging in at the vulnerable underbelly. Speed. It rolled over and swatted Ryu away in under half a second. But, it began to groan. Steam was coming from it's body. It was overheating. "I don't believe it." Cadman said, smiling weakly, as he used a table to pull himself to his feet. He'd figured out it's weakness. Sweet Tooth came in, fast and hard, slashing at the creature's face. It's hard armor wasn't enough to protect it from his super human strength. The creature collapsed. Sweet Tooth the super ninja hacked into it a couple more times, before pausing. He watched it bleed. His eyes went to slits. The super ninja spun, and Cadman was no where to be seen. What he didn't see was the Grendel actually getting up behind him. It ran him down, it's three hundred kilos of sheer muscle and bone crushing Sweet Tooth into the ground. It barreled up the stairwell; after the smell of blood. Sweet Tooth didn't move.  
  
* * *  
  
Cadman pushed the rooftop door open, Ryu helping him walk. Cadman limped to the lip of the building, and then glanced around the gravel covered roof. Despair filled within his heart when he realized they'd left without them. "Damn you, Vance!" HREEEEEE! Cadman flinched at the ear splitting shriek of a creature that was mad, bad and hurting. There it was, the Grendel punched through the concrete doorway, and it's steaming, overheating body charged right for them. Cadman pulled a throwing knife and readied himself. But he didn't have to. Ryu's hair was blown forward as a helicopter rose behind them, Jake sitting comfortably in the gunner's seat. The Grendel paused, and considered it's new foe. "Eat it, speedy Gonzalez!" Jake said, as he let the M60 go. Bullets, one after another hit it, and the Grendel never had a chance to recover. It collapsed, it's flesh mutilated, no longer even resembling a Grendel. "COME ON!" Jake cried, and he hauled Cadman and Ryu into the helicopter, "Colonel! Head for the Mojave Bunker! ASAP!" "I read you Vance! And Vance," Jake tilted his head to listen as Ryu climbed in, "Looks like my hands can work even tied up!" Jake laughed at the pun, and gave the signal for his Colonel to pull away.  
  
No one saw the shadow leave out a window in the second floor, the building exploding behind him. The gas and fumes filling the entire complex, destroying all of Dynavein. Now, all Jake had to do was mop up. Or so he thought. For more trouble was hunting him than Dynavein.  
  
  
  
Part 7  
  
Trench Run  
  
"I'm sorry, Adrik, but if you don't tell me where they went, I'll have to kill you. slowly!" Rogue sat, one of his swords pressed up against Adrik's neck, the other on the back of the neck, ready to cut the spinal column. "I. I don't know!" Adrik blurted. Rogue removed one sword from it's lethal pose, and slowly cut Adrik's arm. The Russian scientist grunted through the pain, "I.. I DON'T KNOW!" Rogue cocked his head, waited for a moment, then lopped on hand off of Adrik, "You'll talk," Rogue said, as Adrik screamed in pain, "Sooner. or later."  
  
* * *  
  
Jake sat in the co-pilot seat of the B2-12 helicopter, "Set her down there," Jake said, gesturing for the Colonel to land the 'copter near the trenches. The helicopter kicked up dust and dirt as it came in, landing neatly on the make-shit landing pad. The moment it touched down, Ryu and Cadman, with a now bandaged leg, hopped out. "Colonel-" Jake started. "Give 'em Hell, Jake. I always liked you," Colonel McClelland said, "Stay alive, buddy!" Jake nodded then jumped from the helicopter, dragging Garrett behind him. As soon as all were clear, the helicopter lifted off, and Jake's eyes stung with the dirt flying in small maelstroms left by his Colonel's departure. Jake watched him leave, then followed the others into the bunker to await the arrival of their allies. They all arrived soon after. Christie, Misty, Hayate, Kasumi, and Ayane sat in corners of the small bunker, as Jake dished out orders, "Alright, Kasumi, Ayane, Misty, and Hayate; all in the trenches. Move around at all times. And do quick hit and run strikes. Hayabusa, Cadman and I'll find a spot in the trenches to hold and defend as a small base HQ. Christie; you any good with one of these?" He held up a rifle. Christie identified it from a few feet away, along with some statistics; It was a Tactical Operations Tango 51 sniper rifle. It used 7.62 NATO ammunition, and packed a reasonable punch for it's size. It was a military rifle she'd used on several occasions to take out targets. She grinned, "If I'm not, I shouldn't be doing what I am for a living." Cadman smiled at her, and gave a special look that transferred some images she didn't' quite want to remember. The grin was good, the look was evil. He loved her; until she was hired to kill his father. What he didn't know is that she denied the contract and attempted to stop the assassination. But, she was notorious, and when his father died, and she was at the scene, he really didn't care. I guess, I still love him. I hope. well, that's the past. He just needs all that facts. Why, oh, why won't he believe me? Christie thought. "Uh, Jake! Inbound hostile. vector 1-8-0, 4 miles," the Colonel's voice sounded tense, "Moving to intercept." Jake's face almost glowed with anticipation, "Let's cook!" Misty ran outside the bunker, drew her blade, and looked into the sky. A stream of white gas was being ejected from a. pod? What the heck was this? She jumped into the trench and all but begged for it to begin. The pod sped forward at Mach 5, the fastest thing to ever flow through the atmosphere. An object was in front of it. They collided. "What- AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" The line filled with static. Jake's head sagged, "Casualties of war," now, the war began. He ran down the trench toward a previously selected section where the trench just ended. Hayabusa, Cadman and himself would wait there, and Jake would direct the battle from there with his COM link. Christie took aim on the incoming object. It's hull plating didn't glow orange or red, but white! Pieces of it flew off, as they melted away. An outer shell flew away, and a second inner one remained. "We certainly chose a great enemy to fight," she whispered as she took aim, and waited for the signal to fire. Kasumi ran through the trenches, trying to find the perfect spot to wait for the battle. It seemed somehow slightly reminiscent of an American film. Star wars? was that it? She grinned, proud of her knowledge of other people's cultures, although, she didn't know how that would help her here. The second shell shed, and a man became visible. Instantly slowed, a clear, plastic case slowed the speed to a safe speed, and melted away, sending the 'paratrooper' clean and ready into combat. But this was no paratrooper; it was Rogue Shinobi, Now, where is Toshi? My mission is not complete until he dies.  
  
Part 8 The Wings of a Hero Warning: Some Images May Not be Fit for Kids Under 13.  
  
"Christie, hold your fire. You're the trump card. Don't let him know you're there," Jake's voice whispered in her microphone headpiece. Acknowledging the order, she bent low, concealing herself from view, and tucking the sniper rifle into the crook in her arm. She felt the cold emotion flow over her as it always did. An feeling less expression graced her and she watched her prey move toward the trenches. "He headed due south," she whispered, "Kasumi, Misty, keep your eyes open." "We copy." "Shouldn't Christie get to higher ground?" Cadman, she knew it was him. Jake sighed into the receiver, "it's one guy, I wouldn't panic, but find some that you can get to if things get ugly, kay?" "Alright," Christie said, and glanced ice daggers around the desert base. There was an old guard tower a few dozen meters to the right. Could she make it there? Would it even hold her weight?" A billion split-second calculations buzzed through her head, as her blood began to broil with the anticipation.  
  
Rogue smiled, maniacally, "heheheh, can the little ninjas come out to play?" he said, in a comically low toned voice. He rounded one corner. There was nothing but empty trench. He took one look behind him, leering over his shoulder, and decided to disappear from view for a little bit. Misty turned the corner, and glanced around. Nothing. She could've sworn he'd rounded this corner! Where'd he go? "Misty! He's right above you!" Christie yelled, seeing the sharp red and blue cloak poking over the trench side. It suddenly vanished. Misty hit the ground hard, her mouth filling with desert dirt and sand. The taste of hard, gritty sand in her mouth dried her tongue, and she suddenly felt the air crushed from her lungs. "Poor little ninja!" Rogue whispered. "F**K YOU!" She pulled her legs up, so that they would touch her head, but instead, pounded straight into the back of his skull. He fell of her back, rolling up to standing position. Misty then pushed herself up, and watched the action begin. Kasumi and Ayane dropped from the trench sides, and engaged the foe. A two katanas came from seemingly nowhere, and all the attacks were blocked, dodged or deflected. Giving up on the blade assault, Kasumi placed on foot on the dirt wall of the trench, and pushed herself up, aiming a kick for the head. He slashed, hitting air. She appeared behind him, kicking him square in the base of the spine. He flew forward, and. flipped. Kicking Ayane clear of the trench, in the chin. She was unconscious before she hit the ground. Rogue drew bright red line down Kasumi's thigh, which split into an open wound. Then a nasty hilt smash to the head, took her down as well. Misty was standing now, and ready to fight, recovering from her sudden oxygen deficiency. She smashed her head into his, and he felt blood trickle down his forehead, "There's a stunt you didn't see!" "Come and get it!" Cadman flew over the edge, short sword drawn. He slashed. The blade was repelled by one of Rogue's own. A fierce battle took place. Dirt was kicked up, and Misty found it hard to see and breathe, yet she went on. Sweat dripped off her arms and face, and yet if she stopped she'd be dead. She went on, and suddenly felt her legs go out from under her. She'd twisted an ankle, or sprained it, she couldn't tell anymore. Everything was so dark. Cadman watched her fall, and knew he'd lost. Christie couldn't see with the scope through the dust, and his one sword on two, he couldn't hope to win. Hayabusa and Hayate suddenly appeared, wielding their own blades. Hayabusa came in low, but his blade cut only the fabric of Rogue's cloak. The already ragged piece of cloth flew up through the shroud, and down came a series of darts. They all had almost five inch long needles, with barbs at least a centimeter long each. One hit Hayate in the shoulder, throwing him to the opposite wall and pinning him there. And another hit Hayabusa right. no, it couldn't! Right in the throat! "AAAARGGHH!" Cadman felt pain lance through his arm and leg as darts impaled themselves in his flesh. He collapsed, and for once the dust cloud vanished. Hayate desperately threw his sword at Rogue, but it was easily batted away. Cadman groaned in pain, and watched his old leg wound begin to bleed again, the once sealed injury opening again. Rogue bent low, towards Hayabusa, checked for pulse, and smiled, evilly. "No." Hayate murmured. Rogue chuckled to himself. "That's enough! You want me!" Cadman glared up, and there he was. That mystery ninja from the Arena. Toshi glared down at his foe, Rogue Shinobi. The pair stood glancing for the longest time, and no one saw the pair of gunners walk closer to the action. Jake charged forward, battle cry in his heart and rifle in hand. He fired a quick burst at Rogue. The twin swords came up, blocked the bullets. Rogue did a quick charge, and slashed Jake across he stomach. Jake flew back, suddenly aware of his new pains. "Could you have been more stupid?" "Enough! Fight me, if you can!" Toshi cried his challenge, and attacked, almost flying through the air. A flurry of blades, and fists, Toshi pushed Rogue around the corner with sheer offensive press. Rogue never got a chance to throw his own attacks. Toshi was in a blind rage, attacking anything that moved, and that was Rogue. But, Toshi luck ran out. The same move, and the same voice, "A little o' this, a little o' that!" A scissor block and Toshi's sword flew forward, out of Toshi's hand into the far trench wall. A gut punch and high kick sent Toshi the opposite way. "I gave you the chance of dying, swiftly, Toshi. But you, have elected torture, first." Rogue slashed Toshi across the face, near the left eye. Blood trickled down his face, as Rogue slashed again and again. Old wounds reopened by Rogue's blades, and pain surging through Toshi's body. It was too much. He cried out. Rogue smirked, until the barrel of a Tango 51 slammed into his chest. "Eat it!" Christie said, as she fired. The sniper round made quite a mess coming out, and sent the evil Ninja to the opposite wall. Toshi looked at his sword, and then at his wrist. He gave one final glare at Rogue. Rogue touched his wound, then followed Toshi's gaze. The katana sticking from the wall was at neck level to him. He then gazed sadly at Toshi. "Goodnight, murderer!" And Toshi twitched his wrist, and watched the head roll.  
  
Part 9 Dead or Alive  
  
Cadman, Kasumi, Christie, Ayane and Hayate glanced down on the Cairns they'd built for they're comrades. Hayabusa, Misty, Jake, and Garrett all lay in separate graves. Cadman for the first time saw Kasumi cry. Not drop a tear, but really cry. She couldn't stop weeping over Hayabusa's grave. "It's what Jake would've wanted," Cadman said, simply. Christie grinned, meekly, and tried to hold back her own tears. Hayate had a grim look on his face as he silently said good-bye to a life long friend. Jake and Garrett lay side by side, joined in friendship once again, after 6 years of hatred. Now, they could finally see their love, Marisa again. Maybe. maybe, they found peace in death. Ayane said farewell to her best student, and then turned to leave, but waited for the others. Hayate finished his goodbye, and turned to leave as well. Soon, Kasumi was the only one left. "Ryu," she whispered, "I don't think I ever said it. But, all those times when you tried to protect me. it really, helped me go on. Well," She kicked one foot to the other, "what I'm trying to say is. I love you. I always have." Cadman stopped his departure, sensing that Kasumi had not joined them. He turned back, and watched her for a moment. "Why'd you die?" Kasumi asked, pounding her fist on the cairn. A rock fell off it, and embarrassed she went to place it back. But, a moving hand where the stone had been stopped her. "HEEEEEEEEYYY!" Kasumi yelled as she suddenly began unburying Ryu. Cadman ran to her, and saw the living Ryu laying there, eyes wide open, and an obvious look of pain. He wasn't talking, for obvious reasons, but the guy was alive. Cadman laughed, jovially, and crouched next to him. He offered a hand, to see if Ryu would take it. He did. "Can you speak?" Cadman asked, "You took a nasty blow to the neck." "I think I can manage!" He said, holding up a small medallion. The dart had punched through the layers of cloth, but the lethal blow stopped at the necklace. "But. how?" Christie asked. Ryu smiled and titled his head back, and smiled. He wordlessly bowed 'to' the sky, and began to walk away. "Translation?" Cadman asked, puzzled. Kasumi smiled warmly, "Thank God!"  
  
The End 


End file.
